Love Games
by To the Redwoods
Summary: Molly is never in one place for very long. To keep her traveling life simple, she has a strict set of rules for herself to follow. She's done a pretty good job for herself until a strange pair of shopkeepers enter her life and turn everything upside down.
1. Chapter 1

The train swayed gently back and forth on the tracks, cutting a steel path through the tail end of English countryside. Quiet chatter filled the car and people sat scattered on the leather seats. Red light poured through the windows as the sun set over the distant hills and houses as the train headed out of the country and into the city.

Sitting with eyes glued on the passing scenery was a young American. She wasn't going anywhere in particular, just away from where she'd been. Wherever the train happened to stop was where she would get off and call her new home for a few weeks. The mess of a reflection stared back at her from the window. Unruly short auburn hair with, bangs held back with a single pin, surrounded a pale face and a pair of shining brown eyes. She sighed, a little embarrassed by her own appearance and let her gaze fall into her lap.

Molly was never in one place for very long. She loved travel and wanted to see the world more than anything else. Her bright eyes were always eager for new sights. The lifestyle was lonely, but she'd made it that way and had sacrificed a lot to keep it that way. She'd made herself a set of rules, promising herself above all that she would never get close to anyone. That she would never stay in one place longer than two weeks and after that she would never return. To break these rules would over complicate her lifestyle and she would hate to leave a friend behind.

"Next stop, Dalston," A muffled voice announced over the speakers.

"Dalston.." Molly lifted her single leather bag onto one shoulder and made her way to the door. With a yawn, she leaned against a pole by the sliding door. The train slowed and finally opened to the small station. Taking a deep breath of the non-train air to cleanse her lungs, she took her first step onto the tiled floor, her worn out shoes creating a soft padding noise as she made her way out onto the street.

Using a skill acquired only after years of traveling, Molly found a hotel with a vacant room in under an hour, in the dark. She settled into the bed leaving the bag forgotten on the stained chair in the corner of the room. Her eyes focused in on a camera, pulled from a pocket of the bag out of habit and she held it tight to her heart.

Her entire life was on the camera. Pictures of where she had come from and everything she'd seen. Landmarks and food and interesting plants or buildings. Absent, however, from her collection were any people. As part of her number one rule, she wouldn't ever remember anyone she happened to meet or talk to. They wouldn't have a place in her camera and therefore their face would fade into the white noise of her travels.

Suddenly bored of the pictures, Molly turned the camera off and flipped onto her side. She was excited to explore her new home in the morning. It was strange, she thought, that even after visiting so many places that she would still be excited to walk new streets and see new things. A smile lit her face as she drifted into a light sleep.

_A/N- So basically, if you're reading this that means you've taken time out of your day to read something I've written. This is a weird concept for me. I'd like to know what you think.. I guess that would help me a lot considering I have no idea what the f I'm doing. Anyway.. Thanks? _

_~Ruby_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N- So here we go.. Thanks for reading and giving me some confidence and advice. Without further delay here's the next part also known as Chapter 2, for lack of a better title._

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Molly eyed the misty morning sky with hesitant eyes. It already smelled like rain. She had debated with herself for a good ten minutes before leaving the hotel room whether she should bring her umbrella, before finally deciding against it. She sighed, and started to peek into darkened store windows for a possible hideout when the sky gave out and rain finally began to pour, as she was predicting it would any minute now.

To her dismay, nothing caught her eye. If she was going to take shelter somewhere, the store had to be something she could look around in for as long as the rain took to go away. If that wasn't enough, none of the storefronts she walked past seemed to have any life about them. The insides were dark and empty.

The first few drops of rain fell from the sky and splashed onto the cold cement beneath her feet. With a shiver, she scanned for a lit sign or an open door or anything to keep from getting wet. Her eyes focused in on a single glowing sign a few shops down the sidewalk. The neon face seemed to draw her towards the only lit shop on the street.

Molly began to run as the light mist turned into the downpour she had known was coming. She struggled with the glass door for a moment, while she tried desperately to shield her hair and coat from the water pouring from the angry sky. Finally, with a loud jingle of bells, she stumbled into the shop, already soaking wet.

"Can I.. uh.. Help you?" A low voiced man made her look up from her drenched clothes.

She cleared her throat. "It's raining." She said stupidly, pointing back out the door. Silence settled thick over the shop and the drips of water that slipped off her coat and jeans hit the tile floor loud enough for her to hear them. "Sorry I didn't mean to .. Burst in like that.."

The man looked beyond uncomfortable. His tiny shifty eyes didn't seem to fit in his head that was covered in a mess of wispy curls. He simply blinked at the strange girl from across the store and regarded her with sudden intense eye contact.

Molly tried to smile, and took a step into the little shop. "This is the first place I've been by with anyone in it." Freezing water dripped from her hair onto her neck and she shivered.

"Do you need a towel or something?" The man offered almost too quickly, as he pulled on the bottom his Hawaiian print shirt to straighten it out.

"Oh no. You don't have to-"

"No, it's no trouble at all. Be right back." The man hadn't seemed to have heard her and in a flurry of corduroy was gone down a hallway and up a flight of stairs.

She was left staring at the empty space the strange man had disappeared from and with no chose but to peek down the way he had run in such a hurry. The sound of voices from the lit area at the top of the wood staircase and she closed her eyes in an attempt to try and hear them better.

"-What's the towel for?"

"There's a girl down there. Her hairs all wet, please keep your voice down."

"A girl? And she asked you for a towel?"

"Well not exactly-"

"That's well creepy Howard. You're gonna freak her out, just passing out towels. Do you work at a pool?"

"Keep your voice down!"

"I'm just saying. I bet she's weird or something. Tell me the truth Howard. Is she weird?"

"No, she is not weird. Do you not know how to whisper Vince?"

"Gimme the towel. I'll go see for myself." The sound of footsteps echoed through the ceiling, on their way to the stairs.

"Vince!" The voice of the towel man hissed as the footsteps drew closer.

Molly scrambled back to where the awkward man had left her in front of the counter in an attempt to not be caught eaves dropping on these people she didn't even know. Finally she looked around and her always hungry eyes took in the shop. Shelves were cluttered with trinkets and toys or with anything else that would fit in the space. Dressers and coat racks filled with every kind of clothing she could ever think of lined the red walls that were covered almost completely with clocks and calendars and colorful paintings.

"Well at least Howard wasn't just bein' weird. Get caught in the rain there, or did you hop in a pool?" The voice that had argued with the towel man was now behind her.

Molly turned, tearing her gaze from a particularly colorful painting. "Oh.. Yeah.." She laughed awkwardly and met the twinkly blue eyes of the new young man.

A dazzling smile lit his face as he handed her a fluffy yellow towel. "Here you go."

She hesitated, taking in his appearance for a moment. His clothes were all assortments of bright colors and clinging fabrics, topped off with a pair of cowboy boots. She took the towel from his hand and returned his grin. "Thank you, you really didn't need to though. This is really nice of you both.."

He grinned. "Don't mention it. My names Vince, and I guess you've already met my mate Howard, but I bet he didn't introduce himself." He glanced back over his shoulder to where the mustached man had crept back into the room, to resume his post behind the counter with a roll of his eyes. "And you are.."

"My names Molly." She continued to smile stupidly. She wiped a water drop from her nose and wrapped the towel around her neck then glanced between the two men. "It's nice to meet both of you."

"You're new in town then." Vince filled the short silence almost immediately and flipped the jet black bangs from in front of his eyes.

"Yeah, just got here last night." She answered with a surprised smile, and she thought that the colorful young man had probably already known the answer to his own question before she spoke. "How'd you.. Know that?"

"Haven't seen you 'round before so I figured you must be new. You'll like it here. If it wasn't raining I'd show you around.." He gazed out the glass door and his bright smile dimmed a bit. But then, without warning it returned again. "Hey I know! You should come with us to the Velvet Onion tonight!"

"Hey, I'm not so sure of that-" Howard protested suddenly.

"No it'll be genius! We're playing a gig there tonight!" He ignored the other man and continued enthusiastically.

"Gig.. Do you mean you two are in a band?" Molly saw no reason the odd pair should even be friends, let alone be in a band together. They were complete opposites.

The mustached man seemed embarrassed but Vince's smile only grew wider.

"Yeah! We play electro mostly.. Dance music. You know?" He pulled a dance move and wiggled his hips. "Experimental stuff too."

She laughed, than shrugged her shoulders. "Oh that's very nice but I don't know.. I don't really dance.."

"Neither do I." Howard answered.

Vince narrowed his icy blue eyes at his friend. "But everybody dances! Dancin's easy. It'll be a blast!"

Molly felt herself blush a littele and immediately hid it in the towel. The always present voice in her head was telling her to leave the shop and never come back. She was practically breaking her number one rule by even considering going to this Onion thing. She should just return to the hotel, pack her backs and leave this stop early.

"Woah, hey now.. Back it down there little man," Howard held out a hand to quiet Vince down. "Maybe she doesn't like sequins and dancing. Maybe elbow patches are more her thing. Do you like jazz Molly?" He raised his eyebrows and his too small eyes focused in intently on her.

An unexpected laugh slipped out and she quickly covered her mouth with her hands. "I am so sorry.. I didn't mean to laugh, but don't like jazz either." She smiled apologetically.

"So then how does the Velvet Onion sound?" Vince leaned onto the counter and in front of Howard. "I won't let you say no. It'll be fun, I promise."

Without really thinking, Molly had to give in. "Yeah, fine. If you promise it'll be fun.."

_What are you doing! _The voice in her head was screaming at her. _You are clearly breaking the rules. You are making friends. Stop . Abort. Abandon ship._ She ignored it's angry words and smiled shyly up at the pair.

"Great!" He clapped happily. "I could sort your hair out too before we go.. Oh but only if you want." He added quickly.

"My hair?" She touched the slightly damp mess on her head warily.

"That's the way to win her over Vince. Keep talking about how terrible her hair looks. Maybe next you could tell her clothes are out of style." Howard rolled his eyes and pulled a nature magazine from under the counter.

The smaller man's smile faded suddenly. "I didn't mean.. I mean.. Well.." His hand buried itself in his ebony hair, ruffling the choppy top layer." Howard what am I trying to say. I didn't mean nothing by it-"

"No it's alright. I know what you meant. I'm sure it looks pretty bad anyway." She took out her bobby-pin and tried to fix the bangs that fell onto her forehead in a limp wad of hair. "You can fix it if you really want. I don't mind at all."

His face lit up. "Be right back."

As he disappeared up the stairs, Howard sighed loudly attracting Molly's attention.

She turned her head in an attempt to see what he was reading.

"It's the Global Explorer. A magazine documenting the glory of the outdoors." He answered before she asked the question. He looked up as she leaned in more obviously to get a better look at the page he was reading. "It's full of timeless photos of the wilderness."

Intrigued, she stepped forward. "Could I see?"

Howard raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're a fan of the wilderness eh?" He turned the magazine in her direction as she stopped and leaned over the countertop.

Molly nodded, drinking in the sepia tone photos of redwoods and mountains. She ran her fingers over the glossy page, recalling places she'd been that had looked similar and in a rush of memories she was hiking a mountain in Peru.

"I'll be in there someday yes sir." He didn't seem to be talking to her, but she looked up anyway as she was pulled out of her memory. "Howard Moon: photographer." He created an invisible banner in the air and nodded into space.

"Come on 'oward. I leave for two seconds and you've already got her lookin' at Global Explorer? You know that things only for geography teachers and well, you."

Howard snatched the magazine back and glared at Vince. "She asked to look at it."

Molly turned and eyed the pile of hair products balanced in his arms and she took an intimidated step back. "All of that.. Just for my hair?"

"Not all of it. But I brought it all just in case." He laughed and dropped it all to the counter with a large clatter.

With wary eyes, she looked over the array of colorful bottles. "I haven't even ever seen most of this.. What's this?"

"Straightener." He answered without looking.

She nodded. "And this one?"

"Root booster." A grin lit his face as he caught onto the game she had started.

"What about this?"

"Leave in conditioner."

"And what about-"

"Enough." Howard cut her off. "Could you just do her hair?" He slipped from behind the counter and sat in a chair across the room, burying his nose back into his magazine, mumbling something about being late at the rate they were going.

"Shall we then?" Vince was already eagerly plugging in things and setting up bottles. "Grab a chair, this'll be genius."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: So very quickly before continuing here.. Thanks again for the reviews (am I supposed to respond to these things? If so I apologize for being rude.. Just a little lazy is all. ) Also, after hastily posting Chapter 2 before I went off to Disneyland and then Kansas, I realized I wasn't exactly proud of it and it had mysteriously been changed to bold type.. So.. That's that. Anyway.. Lets have fun._

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Not ten seconds after Vince had finished with her hair, Molly had checked an invisible watch on her wrist and claimed she had to go change. She agreed to be back at eight then rushed out the door, finally giving into the voice in her head.

The minutes ticked by on the digital clock beside the hotel bed. Molly hugged her knees to her chest, eyes watching the glowing red numbers add up, slowly growing closer and closer to seven. She sighed falling back onto the mattress. She had been silently debating for over half an hour whether to return to the odd little second hand shop and its two mismatched shopkeepers.

On one hand, she knew that if she returned she would be breaking her number one rule. It had already been bent at a pretty sharp angle and it wouldn't take much more for that angle to snap entirely. However, if she didn't go, she would still remember the two men. The voice in her head had been screaming at her the entire time Howard was showing off his Global Explorer and had been screaming twice as loud when Vince had been squeezing fancy product into his hands and running his fingers through her hair.

With a frustrated groan she dug her palms into her eyes until colors swirled and relaxed her a bit. She opened her eyes, pretending she was the moon watching all the stars float by.

"What now.. " Molly mumbled.

The Nabootique was silent, except for the ticking of a clock that hung on a wall among the jumble of artwork and knickknacks. Howard's tiny eyes followed the second hand around the face. "Seven o'clock." His low voice filled the empty shop.

Vince was still running around, his boots clunking all around the flat above the shop. Probably fixing his hair or makeup for the millionth time. He'd already been in four different outfits and offered to help Howard find something less ugly.

Sighing the jazz maverick rested his chin in his palm. Time continued to tick by, each second making them later to the gig he would much rather miss.

"Hey Howard!" Vince's voice came from the top of the stairs. "Where are those new boots I got?"

"Haven't you got boots on?" He answered, turning in the direction of the voice.

"Yeah.. But they're not going with this shirt anymore.." His voice faded as we wandered away from the stairs. "I'll find 'em.."

Howard took a deep breath, glancing at the clock again. 8:05. Maybe they would miss the concert anyway. A tinkling of bells made him look away from the clock. "Actually we're closed-"

"Is it to late to take you guys up on that invitation?" Molly had stepped into the little shop with a nervous smile on her face.

"Not at all. Vince is still trying to find the perfect boots so it could be a while." He offered a reassuring smile. "Make yourself at home."

"Oh thanks.." She sank into a red barber chair that sat by the door. "I haven't ever been to a club or a concert before.."

"More Vince's scene really. Lots of dancing and music and people in bright colors looking at you. Not really for me." He shook his head.

"That does sound sort of fun." She thought about the clubs she'd seen on television or in movies. The dancing masses always seemed to be having fun. Hopefully the two odd shopkeepers wouldn't leave her all by herself. "What do you like to do then? I mean if you don't like clubs or anything that Vince does.."

"Hm?" Howard seemed surprised. "Well I very much enjoy the music of jazz. Maybe a good slap bass solo and an avant-garde film to finish the day."

"It sounds like you two are polar opposites." She decided on as silence again filled the shop.

"Just a little." He laughed quietly.

"Molly! You came back!" Vince made her turn. He had descended the stairs in a pair of skin tight red pants and a shirt that looked like a rainbow had thrown up on it.

She smiled, already enjoying his outrageous sense of style. "I said I would."

"You'll have a blast for sure tonight." He said as he occupied himself with his reflection in a round mirror at the end of the stairs.

"You about ready there Vince? Not sure your aware of the time, but we are ten minutes late." Howard tried unsuccessfully to sound at ease with their lateness.

"I've been ready." He winked and spun around. "Waiting on you now Howard."

Molly bit back a laugh as Vince held the door for her and a grumbling Howard. She'd been so unsure of retuning. Unsure of whether this was the right choice. But she was positive now without a doubt, that just this once, her rules could stand to be broken. She smiled to herself as the voice in her head grew silent. There was no way it was going to win this time.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thanks for the reviews. I'm honestly surprised people like this. Your all giving me a lot of confidence so thank you so much. I'll try my hardest to keep you all interested and reviewing and everything else. Anyway.. Writers block.. Did my best with all the ideas floating around in my head.. And sorry for the delay. :]_

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The Velvet Onion wasn't exactly the massive dance club Molly had pictured. There weren't any flashing lights or music pounding out the door. In fact it was sort of small and almost run down. The entrance was surrounded by a small crowd of people dressed in all varieties of bright colors and crazy outfits.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Vince had a spring in his step as his wide eyes scanned the crowd.

She tried to smile as they got closer and closer to the open door of the Velvet Onion. However, with every step she grew more uncertain. Had she been right to ignore the now silent voice in her head? _Too late now. _She told herself.

" .. Now just like I promised we'll get you a chair." Vince was saying when she was snapped out of her thoughts. "No dancing. Unless you change your mind later." He added with a friendly smile.

Molly responded with an awkward laugh.

"We should go check in with Fossil.." Howard told Vince, who nodded in agreement. They made their way through the crowd and into the Velvet Onion.

"Go take a seat Molly." The smaller man pointed to the bar area. "Just stay put until the shows over. You don't even have to move. We'll come get you after and-"

Howard was already gone, obviously the more responsible of the two.

"-Howard? Gotta go Molly. Just stay put and enjoy the show!" Vince grinned, before he too disappeared into the quickly growing crowd.

Molly smiled then took a deep breath and plopped herself down onto the barstool in the farthest corner of the club. Her hesitant eyes took in her new surroundings. Scattered groups of people gathered on the cement floor in front of the small stage, talking over the softly playing dance music that radiated from the speakers. Her hands fidgeted with her fraying pocket. Inside was her camera, hesitantly placed there before she'd run out of her hotel room. She traced the outline of the lens through the faded denim as her mind began to drift.

Molly's father had given her the camera as a graduation gift. Not directly, but the gift had gotten to her. She didn't remember her parents ever being home for major events or holidays or birthdays or at all for that matter. Her parents were very wealthy and owned a very nice house in the most expensive part of San Francisco. It was big, to be modest and Molly could see the bay from her bedroom window. She had everything a young girl could ever want inside the house, and as she grew she only got more, but she wasn't happy. Her parents were rarely around in the giant house to play with her toys with her.

Any other kid would have been begged to be in her situation, she had thought. No parents to tell you what to do and all the things you could ever dream of. But, Molly had never been happy alone in the big empty house. She would have much rather traveled the world with her jet-set parents.

It was a rare event when Molly was thirteen years old that her parents had made it home for her birthday that she had told them how unhappy she was. They seemed shocked.

"But why?" Her mother had asked, her eyes wide with surprise. "You have everything you could ever want here."

"I don't have parents.." She had practically whispered.

"I don't understand honey." Her father looked equally confused.

Molly rose her eyes to her baffled parents. "All the other kids at school talk about hating their parents because they make them go on family trips and family picnics and they have family reunions.. I wish I had stories about you.." She found it hard to admit these things. Were they really that tuned out of their daughters emotions that they had no idea? "I want to go to on a vacation.. All of us." A small, hopeful smile appeared on her lips.

"Why would you want to do that?" Her mother still looked lost.

Molly sighed. "Nevermind."

That had been the first and last time she had spoken to her parents about her feelings. They didn't stop living their successful lifestyle and Molly continued to wish for a family. She spent a lot of time in the window of her bedroom, watching the rough waves break against the rocky coastline. She tried to imagine what the rest of the world must be like. There must have been so many amazing places and things out there, waiting to be seen. She wanted to see them preferably without her parents.

As Molly got older, her dreams only got bigger and better. The walls of her room became lined with pictures of places she wanted to visit someday. She didn't have a lot of friends in high school. And not even the giant mansion she lived in could attract friends anymore, not that it mattered to her. She was the girl with her head in the clouds and was quite content with that. People could be mean. She found that mostly she couldn't trust them, and they left her when she needed them most. She wasn't going to let anyone else hurt her the way her parents had.

Molly barely graduated out of high school, but her parents weren't in attendance and almost immediately after she'd decided she would make her traveling dreams reality. She packed all the things she needed, those things being a few shirts, a few pairs of jeans, some snacks and of course the camera that had arrived the week before her graduation ceremony from her parents, into an old back pack. She would leave the city and not come back until she was ready to face the world she was preparing to leave behind.

The morning came that she planned to set off. Molly stood for one last time in the window of her bedroom, watching the white capped waves crash into the rocks. She pulled out the camera and snapped the first shot.

A loud knock on the front door interrupted the moment. It sounded frantic. Molly grabbed her backpack and said goodbye to her room and the remaining items in it before running down the stairs. The frantic knocking came again and impatiently Molly threw the door open.

"What?" She asked the man she recognized as her parents personal assistant, Sam.

"Your parents!" He shouted at her.

"Aren't here?" Molly added stepping out of the door and pulling it shut behind her. "Which reminds me, could you let them know I won't be around for a while? I'm going traveling. Isn't it exciting?" She smiled as the key clicked the lock into place.

Sam's eyes fell to the cement step. "That's just the thing Moll."

"What happened?" She tried to sound concerned.

"They're dead.. Plane crash over the pacific ocean. They were on their way home from a business conference in Hawaii."

Molly knew somewhere deep inside this should have been crippling. She should have broke down into tears and not left the house. She should have been looking at old family pictures and crying her eyes out, but she didn't. She couldn't mourn complete strangers; however, She did stay in San Francisco a little longer. All her parents assets were given to her, seeing as how there was no one else. The house, all the money, cars and anything and everything else.

After a month or so of legal negotiations, Molly said goodbye to the house again. This time in a car. She headed out to the nearest freeway and turned her back on the city she'd grown up in. Using her newly acquired fortune, Molly made her way across and around America and Canada, then down into Mexico for a short while. She was never lonely like she'd been all alone in the mansion, in the city, by the bay and so she never looked back.

"-Molly? You in there?" A voice snapped her back to the club. Vince and Howard now both stood over her, watching her with concerned eyes.

"Are you feeling alright?" Howard asked.

Molly laughed quietly. "Oh yeah. I was just.. Lost in my thoughts there for a minute."

"Well, make sure you stay awake, the shows about to start." Vince flashed a smile, which Molly returned, as he and Howard made their way to the stage.

Quite a crowd had gathered in Molly's lapse and seeing this she then pulled out her camera in anticipation for the coming show.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Well not much to say this time.. I'm working on getting into the major plot here pretty soon.. Working on planning out the rest of the story (for the most part.. I mean not like its about to end or anything.) Just making sure it doesn't jump into the plot too fast. :D Alrighty then.. Here's chapter 5! Oh and thanks for continuing to read! I'm very greatful!_

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It wasn't until early in the morning when Vince and Howard returned Molly safely to her hotel room.

"Come by again tomorrow Molly!" Vince said through a huge smile as she climbed the stairs up to her room. Not used to being accepted so quickly, she looked to Howard for reassurance.

The mustached man uncrossed his arms and cleared his throat. "Yes, I could show the ins and outs of stock taking and stationary management." He smiled and raised his eyebrows.

"You'll bore her away Howard! What's the matter with you!" Vince narrowed his icy eyes briefly at his friend then returned his gaze to Molly, who was trying her hardest not to laugh. "He was just kiddin' about all that stuff. If the sun's out I'll take you out shopping or somethin'."

"I can do both. It all sounds fun to me." She said starting to walk back toward the door to her room. "See you tomorrow then."

"Bye Molly." They said together.

As the door shut behind her she could hear them begin to argue and she collapsed onto the bed, laughing into the pillow. She'd never had real friends before. Sure, Molly had had people to talk to in school, but had never considered them real friends. They were always the first people to tell her that her dreams of seeing the world were unrealistic and stupid. However, these people she'd met just earlier that day had made her feel more welcomed then anyone ever had in her entire life.

She was knew she had been right to ignore the little negative voice in the back of her head. But she was almost nervous to relive the night, as if looking at the pictures she'd taken would prove her new friends didn't exist and she would wake up from a dream.

Nothing happened when the camera turned on, only the little musical tune. The world didn't end as Molly began to click through her memories of the evening. The first few were all pictures of the club. People were white noise in the photos, like plants or things just taking up space. They certainly weren't people she would remember and therefore, by appearing in the pictures, weren't breaking any of her rules.

She began to get more nervous as she reached the pictures of Vince and Howard. Again she looked around, as if her rules were peeping over her shoulder, looking at her pictures and waiting to be disappointed in her.

The further she clicked the more pictures of the men were present in photos. They had gotten on stage but hadn't really sang anything. There had been music playing and they had been dancing around. The crowd seemed to have loved whatever it was they were doing and so Molly, reassured, began to take pictures of them.

After the show the owner of the club had appeared outside a door on the upper level of the club, and had attracted everyone's attention. He introduced himself as Bob Fossil and had kicked at the air a few times before announcing that he would be playing dance music and everyone had better dance. Fossil continued to yell at the crowd but the majority of people ignored the man in the powder blue suit. Instead they turned to each other and began to dance. That was when Vince and Howard had appeared.

"What did you think?" Vince said in high spirits.

"It was fantastic! I took lots of pictures." She smiled and held up her camera for emphasis. "The crowd seemed to be really into it too."

Howard rolled his eyes. "Lucky night-"

"Shut it.." Vince cut him off with a sharp elbow to the ribs. "What do you say we all dance?"

"Oh no.." She shook her head reluctantly. "I don't dance, not at all."

"Well I'm going to dance, so if you change your mind I'll be out there." With a charming wink he was gone.

Howard took the chance to sigh and sit down. "So you really liked the show?"

Molly nodded. "It was really great."

"Well, that's a relief. Usually the crowd chases us off the stage." He confessed.

"Your joking! They all seemed to enjoy what you were doing tonight."

"That's only because we haven't preformed since.." He shuddered at a thought.

Molly cocked her head. "Since.." She attempted to get him to continue his story.

He looked up at her, suddenly at a loss. "Let's just say a lot of strange things happen around here."

"Weird things?" Molly replied.

He didn't elaborate. His eyes rose from her and found Vince returning to the table. "All done?"

"You kidding? Just because you want to sit at a table all night doesn't mean everyone does." He grinned. "Now come on Molly, there is no way I'm letting' you just hang out with Howard all night."

And so reluctantly Molly had agreed to join Vince on the dance floor. The shifting crowd pressed close to them and she struggled to not get lost. Vince had to teach her to dance, which should have been easy, according to him. It was and Molly caught on quickly, swaying with the crowd and the beat of the music.

Molly was snapped out of her thoughts when the TV turned on. She pulled the remote from under her stomach and focused momentarily on the news. Her eyes were drawn back to the last picture shed taken that night. Her and Vince and Howard were all squished together just outside the club. She smiled, grateful she wouldn't let herself forget anything about these new friends. It was strange that it had taken less then a day for her to change her entire way of thinking, but she was willing to take a chance. And as she fell asleep that night, Molly knew she would be taking both Howard and Vince up on their plans for the next day and whatever that day may bring.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Trucking along.. Thank you for reading, Last filler chapter I promise.. I just want to set make sure I set everything up. Reviews make me smile and I'd love it if you wrote me one! :] _

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Molly had been staring at herself in the mirror for a long while. She'd been up long enough to shower, get dressed, eat a large portion of the hotel provided free breakfast buffet, look through her pictures for the billionth time, and finally stop in front of the mirror. She was having a minor inner conflict. Sure the night before had been great, but she had been living the same life for a long time. There had never been any exception to any of her rules, ever. She couldn't, for the life of her, decide why she felt so compelled to break not only one, but all of her rules now, several of which were already lying around on the hotel carpet in little tiny rule shards.

A deep sigh fogged up Molly's face in the mirror. She knew she had to make a decision. A similar decision she'd faced earlier the day before. To either return to the funky little shop, which had proved to be a good choice since she had had a great time with her new friends and for once had woken up in the morning feeling great, or she could leave the area and continue on with her life. This would require the erasing of all the pictures she'd taken and some sort of memory wipe, which she soon decided against considering it wouldn't be very economical.

Again it seemed her mind was made up for her. Molly steamed up the glass with a second sigh. There was no way she could ever forget her newest memories without being terribly unhappy, so she would just have to go with it. She would return to the Nabootique and that was that.

A flying trash bag stopped Molly as she approached the entrance to the Nabootique later that afternoon, followed shortly by a second and then third.

"Well Vince, the bin bags wouldn't be a problem if you had just put them in the designated refuse area to begin with!" Howard said angrily.

"Well you knew I was busy earlier!" Vince's voice came next.

"Doing puzzles with Bollo doesn't count as being busy Vince."

"Yeah well.. He needed help and I wasn't doin' anything."

"You were supposed to be taking care of the bin bags!"

Two new voices began to laugh.

"Relax Howard. 's done now so you can relax. Hey Molly!" Vince spotted her in the doorway. "Come on in."

"Molly?" One of the new faces in the room stepped forward, causing Molly to step back. "You friend of Vince?"

"Uh.." She tried to form words as the large gorilla approached her. "Yes?" She managed to squeak out in the form of a question.

The apes bright blue eyes looked her over, then he grunted in approval and shuffled back towards the second new face. A tiny man dressed how she assumed Aladdin would if he were a real person. He didn't exactly seem to be watching her, but his eyes were certainly focused on something.

Molly watched him for a moment then looked up to Vince and Howard, who were leaning against the counter of the shop.

"That's Bollo and the other one's Naboo. He's a shaman." Vince spoke up to introduce the two and they both turned to her.

Naboo rolled his eyes and stood. "Sort of a secret that I'm a shaman, isn't it Vince." His eyes remained on Molly as he addressed the other man. "Nice to meet you- And don't tell anyone about the shaman business, yeah?"

"I won't?" Her words again came out as a question.

He gaze held hers for another second, then he nodded. "Alright."

"A shaman?" She found it hard to believe that the little man was magical. Fake magic maybe like palm readings and tarot cards, but real magic, she thought, just didn't exist.

He rose an eyebrow. "I think Vince better take this one. Me an' Bollo have got to see the Board of Shaman about that potion we lost." He shook his head and headed up the stairs.

"I gotta bad feelin' about this.." He grumbled as she shuffled after Naboo.

Molly watched them disappear then turned her attention to Vince and Howard. "Potion? Like a wizard potion? That kind of stuff isn't real though.. Is it?"

"Remember when I told you a lot of strange things happen around here?" Howard answered her, looking up from the Global Explorer he'd pulled from under the counter.

"You meant them? A wizard and a talking gorilla in your house?" She whispered, pointing in the direction the two had disappeared.

"If you think that's crazy you won't even believe some of the things we've been through." Vince said with a laugh. "Now I think I said I'd take you shopping today."

"Oh yeah." She remembered the offer and nodded. "Will you tell me some of these crazy stories?"

"Now wait just a second there. You know very well there's stock taking to be done and there's still half a dozen bags out in the back to be taken to the curb." Howard's voice stopped him as he began to lead Molly towards the door.

"Come on 'oward. I'll do it all when I get back." He continued to back towards the door, pushing Molly lightly.

Howard sighed and rolled his eyes. "Hurry back then. And while your busy I can give Molly an official tour of stationary village."

"What's that?" She managed to ask before Vince got her out the down and started to push her down the street.

"It's well creepy, that's all you really need to know." They both laughed and Vince stopped pushing her. "Now about those stories.."


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Chapter 7 ahoy! Reviews off the starboard bow! (I do love them! :D)_

* * *

"Please Naboo, tell me you haven't lost yet another potion." Dennis was rubbing his bald forehead and hoping he wouldn't be forced to, once again, punish the little shaman who stood before the table.

"This was an accident Dennis, honest." Noboo's dark eyes glanced up and down the colorful shaman on the board. "I locked the potion in my cabinet and gave the key to Bollo."

"Oh.." The gorilla who was standing just behind him grunted.

"Don't tell me you've lost it!" Naboo hissed over his shoulder.

"Well done Naboo." Saboo's voice made the tiny shaman turn back to the table. "You've managed to lose yet another powerful potion and blame someone else."

"Well what do you suggest I do? Copy the key to a thousand year old potion cabinet?" Naboo rolled his eyes. "I didn't know Bollo would lose it."

"Serves you right for trusting an ape with a key that important." Saboo nodded to the ape in question, who grunted and looked down at his toes.

" 'ey! Bollo's a trustworthy character! Don't go pickin' on 'im just because your jealous about, once again, not bein' chosen to look after a potion." Tony Harrison piped in from his place on the table.

Saboo turned his hard gaze on the pink shape in front of him. "As if I'm jealous of these losers! And you have no room to speak about being chosen to look after potions."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Tony rotated himself to meet the feathery shaman's glare.

He pointed a gloved finger at Tony's forehead. "I mean, you were given a sleeping potion once and you drank it down before Dennis even told you what it was. You were out for a month and a half. I had to take care of you as if you were a little plant, water you and pour applesauce down your throat every hour."

"In my defense 'e did give it to me at a party. When he handed it over I thought it was punch."

"Oh yes. Punch labeled 'Sleeping Potion' right Tony?"

"I did think that was odd.."

"Enough." Dennis interjected. "Let us focus on the task at hand. If this potion falls into the wrong hands it could prove very dangerous."

Naboo nodded solemnly, recognizing the seriousness of the situation.

"Eh.. Hold up.. I think I must have missed a bit. Which potion are we talkin' about?" Tony's eyes flicked between Dennis and Naboo.

"You absolute moron Tony. We've been talking about this potion for months. You helped make it for god's sake." Saboo covered his eyes out of sheer embarrassment.

"Its slipped my mind is all!" Tony said defensively.

"Slipped your mind? You're a head. It's not like it's got far to slip." Saboo was becoming more and more frustrated as the ridiculous argument continued.

"Enough!" Dennis cut them off, obviously annoyed himself. "We are dignified shamen, not bickering schoolgirls!"

Together, Saboo and Tony rolled their eyes and turned back to Naboo.

"Now, Tony, the potion in question was very powerful. If drunken by two individuals, they will switch bodies until the same two individuals once again drink from the potion." Dennis explained.

"Shit off, this is unbelievable!" Tony seemed to finally understand the repercussions of the loss of this very powerful potion. "Who took it? This is, my friends, an outrage!"

The Board of Shaman let out a collective sigh and Naboo spoke again.

"What do you suggest we do Head Shaman?" He asked in a low voice.

Dennis let out a breath. "There's not a lot we can do Naboo. We'll get to work trying to track down the potion. You just head back and tend to your shop for now."

Meanwhile, miles away.. In a cave under a lake..

Old Gregg was bored. Water colors scattered the rocky cave floor and an empty bottle of Bailey's was all he had left of his favorite drink. He sighed as he scribbled out another painting of his lost love Howard. He had thought of ways to bring him back. Mainly putting him in a sack, or getting him drunk off Bailey's _'Mm creamy..'_ he thought, but he wasn't evil and certainly didn't want to hurt Howard.

It was then that the deep sea transvestite's gave drifted to the bottle he'd snatched from the little shaman that was always hanging around with Howard. He hadn't been following the man, much, and had just happened upon the key when browsing through the shop that had only been closed for a few hours. And it wasn't at all like he'd followed the tiny shaman and his monkey friend to see their friends in the woods, in an attempt to discover what it was he had stolen from the shaman's shop.

Curiously, Gregg lifted the bottle to the light and swirled the pinkish liquid around. He gave it a sniff and then sneezed as it tickled his nose like a fresh opened soda. There had to be some way he could use this potion to get his Howard back and maybe while he was at it a few more bottles of creamy creamy Bailey's..

Paintbrush in hand he stood and put the potion under his bar. While across the cave, inspiration struck and he hurried back to his paper and painted the mustached face of Howard once again.

He sighed and dropped the brush. "There's gotta be a way to get ya back Howard. Old Greggory's just gotta think it up."


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: I love not having writers block! I've just been sitting writing all day! Seriously! I have like three chapters minimized on my desktop now! Thanks for continuing to be interested in my story! Hopefully I can keep people reading! :D _

* * *

An hour and a half ticked by before Molly and Vince returned to the Nabootique. The bells chimed loudly as Vince pushed the door open for the girl behind him.

A huge grin lit his face as Molly continued to laugh at Vince's. "And then the worst part was the only way to make the money back to pay off the eel man was for Howard to get with that crazy character Eleanor!"

"Vince! I thought we decided not to tell anyone that story!" Howard said and practically jumped over the counter to cover Vince's mouth with his hand to shut him up.

Molly laughed even harder, clutching her already aching stomach and doubling over. "I thought you were making it up Vince." She managed to say.

A muffled laugh came from under Howard's hand and the jazz maverick let out a sigh. "No. He wasn't making it up." He dropped his hand from the smaller mans face. "It wasn't my choice though. If someone hadn't gone off to tag Pete Neon we would have taken the money and been gone." He narrowed his tiny eyes towards Vince.

Molly wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled at her new friends. Vince took his place in the red barber chair by the door and began to sort through his bag of purchases from the day.

"I believe we had a deal Vince. You have some things to take care of around here." Accusingly Howard held out a garbage bag.

With a groan, Vince stood and snatched the bag. "Fine."

"And while he'd busy with that care to take a tour of Stationary Village Molly?" The mustached maverick motioned to a small table beside the counter.

As Vince disappeared out the back door of the shop, she smiled and nodded. "Yeah sure. Um.. What is it exactly?"

"Well, its simply my genius way to organize stationary supplies. Paperclips and pens and such." He stopped in front of the neatly arranged supplies proudly.

Molly leaned in and watched a tiny trolley stop in front of a tower of paper clips and raised an eyebrow. "You put a trolley in there?"

"Trolley?" Confused, Howard leaned forward.

She shook her head, then smiled. "Can I take a picture of you with it."

"Of course. I suppose people the world over will someday want to know who the founder of Stationary Village was." He held out his hands and grinned at the camera as Molly snapped the picture with a giggle.

"So tell me how it works. Is there any special way to run it?" She again leaned towards the tiny table-top town.

He began to explain the celo-tape tree and the paper clip castle. They had to sit side by side to accommodate the blue tack garden just across the way. If the pens weren't in rows facing away from the tree the flow of the whole village would be thrown off.

"I think I get it now." Molly set her hands on her hips, nodding at the table top. "That's a pretty good idea Howard." She smiled up at him.

The sound of boots clicking on the tiled floor signaled Vince's return to the shop. "Bags are all moved 'oward." He settled into his red chair by the door and smiled.

"Are they really?" The mustached man seemed shocked.

Vince's smile grew even wider. "Teachin' her about Stationary Village?"

"We're done now." Howard flipped the sign around on the front door of the shop.

Molly bit her lip and checked the clock. It was already nearly five thirty. "Maybe I should go.." She said, suddenly feeling like she was intruding.

Together, Vince and Howard gave her a puzzled look and said, "Why?"

She took a step back. "I just don't want to overstay my welcome.."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Vince stood picking his bag up off the floor and peeked inside. "You haven't overstayed anythin'."

"Don't worry about it at all Molly." Howard added with a smile. "Now do you like tea?"

"Hot chocolate maybe?" She gave a hopeful smile that gained a laugh from her new friends.

"We've got that too." He answered.

"Come on, I got you something while we were out if I could fined it.." Vince began to walk after Howard towards the stairs at the back of the shop.

'_Get out of here now!' _The long silent nagging voice at the back of her head reared its ugly head and caused her to hesitate. But she quickly ignored it and followed after the men.

The flat was just as colorful as the store below. Howard made his way to the kitchen area and Vince plopped onto the couch. Again Molly hesitated and the voice spoke up. _'You don't belong here! Get out of here. Run away!'_

Vince peeked back at her over the cushions on the couch. " What you doin'? Come sit next to me Molly. You look crazy stopped at the top of the stairs like that."

She smiled gratefully and let herself relax on the couch beside him. She even went so far as to slip her shoes off and pull her knees up to her chest. "You said you got me something while we were out.. But when? I don't remember seeing you get anything you didn't try on."

Vince grinned as he slipped a smaller bag from the enormous one filled with all the purchases he'd made. "Yeah well I sorta bought it while you weren't payin' attention."

She took the bag from him, and smiled. "Well you didn't have to do that-"

Molly didn't get the chance to open the gift as Naboo and Bollo distracted her. The door to the flat flew open and they climbed the stairs.

"This is an absolute disaster." Naboo was saying. "Like I need another lost potion on my record. I cant believe you lost the key Bollo."

"I said I had a bad feelin'." The ape grunted in response.

"Yeah. You always have a bad feeling." The shaman rolled his eyes.

"What's happenin' Naboolio?" Vince asked as he and Molly both turned towards the tiny shaman.

Naboo glanced at Molly, then began to explain. "Someone stole a potion from me. A powerful one. One that gives the user the user the ability to swap bodies with the whoever they drink the potion with."

The words took a second to sink in. There was no way this was a real potion.

"What's this about a lost potion?" Howard emerged from the kitchen.

"This could be very dangerous if we don't get it back." Naboo made his way to the couch and collapsed between Vince and Molly, rubbing his temples. "We need to think of a way to sort this out before something bad happens.."

Molly slipped the bag Vince had given her into her pocket and hugged her knees. Her mind began to drift, thinking of all the times she'd been told magic wasn't real and now she was listening to a tiny wizard talk about a body switching potion he'd lost.

"Don't you have a crystal ball or somethin' you can track the thing with?" Vince asked.

"I hate to say it, but there's not a lot to do except wait for the Head Shaman to contact us. He said they would try their best to track it down." Naboo sighed.

"Head Shaman?" Molly leaned towards him.

He turned to her. "Yeah. He's sorta the head honcho of the Shaman Board, but he's a bit of a ballbag. If your hanging around here a lot its only matter of time before you meet him."

"Oh." She nodded. "And the Shaman Board?"

Naboo sighed. "Are you going to be asking a lot more questions?"

"So you have no idea who could have stolen this potion?" Interjected Howard.

Bollo grunted. "No. Bollo set key on shop counter when I go to DJ gig, and next thing I knew, was gone. Shop was locked and you and precious Vince sleeping."

A silent moment fell over the room as everyone began to think; everyone but Molly, who took to watching everyone think. Her eyes found the clock. It was well passed six already.

Naboo stood and sighed again. "Well, there's nothing to do about it now. Don't worry about it too much, yeah. It's been a long day." He muttered to himself before disappearing down the back hallway of the flat into his room, with Bollo close behind.

Molly chewed at a hangnail nervously as a tense silence settled between the three remaining in the room. "Maybe I should go." She didn't feel like she should be sitting around with half of the occupants of the home in some sort of magical crisis.

"You haven't looked at what I got you yet." Vince said.

"And that hot chocolate will be just about done." Howard offered.

She looked between the two men, then relaxed again. "Well, I mean, I guess I don't have to go.."

"Now that's more like it." Vince smiled broadly.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Thanks for reviews etc. You guys are more awesome then you'll ever know. On to Chapter 9!_

* * *

Like ants crowding around a fallen piece of candy, the Board of Shaman were crowded around a glowing crystal ball deep in the woods. They had been working for hours trying to track down the lost potion and had finally hit a breakthrough after Dennis suggested that he take over.

"Hold me higher Saboo! I can't see a thing!" Tony wiggled against the dark shamans grasp.

"How about I drop you altogether if you don't shut that annoying pink mouth of yours." Despite his insult, Saboo held Tony up above Kirk's head.

Dennis was waving his hands above the glass ball and chanting in a jibberish language. His white eyes watched the ball intently. "Oh I see.. Yes that's it.." He nodded.

"Will you get on with it Dennis?" Saboo said impatiently.

Dennis chuckled.

"What you got? Find the potion yet?" Tony's tentacles wiggled.

"Gather closer. I don't think we have to worry about this anymore." He stepped back away from the ball so the gathered shaman could step in closer.

"You have got to be kidding me." Saboo shook his head. "How did _that_ manage to get a hold of the potion! Naboo is a complete and total idiot. Tell me again Dennis, why is it that we ever trust him with anything?"

Inside the crystal ball was a small image of Old Gregg, dancing around his underwater cave with a water color of Howard. His pink tutu and seaweed hair flared out as he spun around and around singing to a tune playing in his head.

Tony laughed louder then the other rest of the snickering shaman. "Takin' it back will be a snap won't it, what's the plan then?"

"The plan is take it back whenever we feel like taking action." Dennis crossed his arms. "The threat level of this sad sad little creature is low. I doubt it will be coming up with any particularly evil or brilliant plans. For now, rest easy knowing the potion is as safe as it could be under the circumstances."

Saboo snorted setting Tony back onto the table. "We might as well of just given the potion to the this green thing to begin with. Save ourselves the trouble of hunting it down."

The Board of Shaman let out a collective sigh of relief as they sank back into their chairs. They could relax knowing the potion wasn't in the hands of a murderous villain and they could easily take it back, whenever they got around to it.

* * *

Molly woke with a start. She'd had the strangest dream about crack foxes and eels. She ran a hand through the tangle of hair on top of her head and looked around, fully expecting to see her hotel room. What she saw instead was an unfamiliar flat and she began to panic, until she remembered she'd spent the night on Howard and Vince's couch after it had gotten much to late to walk to the hotel. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Sun was peeking in through the windows, but no one seemed to be up yet. She sighed, pulling her knees up to her chest and examining the bracelet on her wrist. It hade been the present Vince had given her the night before. He had told her it was a friendship bracelet, one that you could add charms too. This, he had said, made it a million times better.

"Morning." Howard's voice made her jump and turn. He had appeared in the kitchen, and was filling a tea pot with water.

"Morning." She ran her hands through her hair a second time.

"Nice hair. Not quite as bad a Vince's though." He joked. "How did the couch treat you?"

She smiled. "Not bad. I feel like I need a shower though."

Howard nodded. "I'll take you back to your hotel as soon as I get this tea going."

"What about Vince?" She stood and stretched. "Won't he wonder where you went?"

"Maybe. Usually he's not up until late and he's a bit cranky in the morning."

"Whose cranky?" Vince grumbled from the hallway as he shuffled into the kitchen in a pair of fuzzy slippers. His hair was a complete mess, with shining black fringe sticking out every which way. "Who were you talkin' too Howard. Your really losin' it you know." He sank into a chair at the table.

"Good morning." Molly said with a laugh.

Vince looked over his shoulder at her with sleepy eyes. "Oh yeah.. Forgot you were here Molly." He rested his forehead on the table. " 'oward I'm hungry."

The mustached man sighed. "Are you hungry too Molly?"

She tried to say no but her empty stomach made her nod her head.

"How about cereal then." He went into several cupboards and drawers, setting up the table for breakfast.

Molly made her way to the seat beside Vince and he tilted his head to the side to look at her. "Your hair looks crazy." She said.

He narrowed his blue eyes and grinned. "Whatever. Notlike it's much better then your's."

Together, Vince, Molly, and Howard sat at the table munching on breakfast. She was still curious about all the adventures they'd been on and they seemed more then happy to tell her. Most of the stories ended in Vince giggling and Howard shaking his head im embarassment.

"I would like to take a shower I think." Molly said as she finished up her final soggy pieces of cereal. "I'll come back when I'm done and you can do my hair again if you want." She added the part about her hair and Vince smiled, tapping his spoon on the side of his bowl.

"Ill walk you back if your interested." Howard sipped on his tea and she nodded.

"Yeah. Thanks Howard." She stood and made her way to the stairs.

"Be right back then Vince. And do something about that fern on your head while I'm gone." The spoon Vince had been holding flew through the air and hit Howard in the back of the head. "Ow."

They made their way out onto the street and he began to lead her back to her hotel, rubbing the back of his head and grumbling.

"Vince told me to ask you about Old Gregg." Molly stuck her hands in her pockets. "It was the only story he wouldn't tell me."

Howard cleared his throat. "Yes well.. That's a bit of a gray area.."

"He said you'd say something like that." She smiled over at him.

He let out a breath. "Right, of course he did. Well, Gregg was an interesting guy. Sort of a deep sea transsexual if you will. Vince and I met him after a terrible gig. We went to a small fishing town to clear our minds and I ended up getting kidnapped by him after fishing on his lake."

She stifled a laugh then coughed. "Sorry keep going."

"I ended up being kidnapped and taken down to his underwater home. Gregg fell in love with me, apparently. He showed me his water color portfolio and told me how much he liked Bailey's. He wanted to marry me and that's about all there is to the story. Vince, Naboo, and Bollo saved me before anything happened. We haven't heard from the guy since."

"That's pretty embarrassing Howard." She smiled.

He nodded. "That's probably why Vince wanted me to tell the story."

She laughed as they stopped at the hotel. "Thanks for walking me. See you in an hour or so."

"Right. Bye Molly." He took a few steps backwards "I'll have to introduce you to some jazz today."

She smiled then made her way to her hotel room. She slipped in the door and dropped her camera on the bed. She'd never felt more welcome anywhere and was beyond grateful for her new friends. The sooner she could get back to the Nabootique the better.

Only after she turned away from the bed did she realize that all her things were on the floor. The drawers of the small dresser that the TV sat on were flipped and all her clothes were pulled out. Her backpack was flipped inside out and all the paper and keepsakes she'd collected over time were in a small pile on the floor.

Molly panicked and turned back to the door. She would stop Howard before he got to far away and get him to search the room for her. However, before she took two steps towards the door, a pair of cold hands covered her mouth and muffled a scream.

"I'm not here to hurt ya so don't scream again." A relatively non-threatening voice said into her ear. "Just got a few questions for ya girlie."

Molly tried to relax as the hands uncovered her mouth and turned her around until she faced her captor. "Who are you?" She whispered as she looked over what she could only assume was a man standing in front of her.

The creature grinned. "I'm Old Gregg!"


	10. Chapter 10

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A/N: Double digits! You guys are crazy for reading this nonsense! There's lots going on in this one so I'd love to hear some feedback.. Does it make any sort of sense?

* * *

"She should be back by now." A few hours passed and Vince had taken to pacing in front of the counter. He was a little annoyed maybe, but he wasn't angry. The last time he'd been angry was back at the Zoo when Howard had dropped seeds in his hair.

Howard sighed. "Relax Vince. Think how long it takes you to get ready in the morning. She'll be back. Don't you worry sir."

The smaller man groaned and sunk into the red chair by the door. "I hate waiting."

* * *

"So let me get this straight." Molly kept her eyes on the multiple water colors of Howard she'd been given by the sea creature. "You stole Naboo's potion because you were hoping to switch places with someone and get Howard back?"

"Yessir." Gregg was still rummaging through her things. "I love Howard."

"Right.." She set the paintings aside and looked up at the man fish. "And you've been following me around since I started hanging out with him and Vince to make sure I wasn't interested in Howard?"

"You got it girlie."

She sighed. "Listen, I'm not in love with Howard. He's just a friend of mine."

He stood from a pile of her things and faced her. "I'll warn ya once for fairness. You stay away from my Howard."

Molly stood as well taking a few steps towards him. "That's not fair! Vince and Howard are both my friends. You can't tell me who I can be friends with."

Gregg looked confused. He tilted his head at the agitated girl, then spoke again. "Does Howard love you?"

She rolled her eyes. "No Gregg. He doesn't love me. Now can you get out of my room now please? I'm supposed to be back a t the shop already."

"Could he ever learn to love ya?"

"What do you mean?" Molly said warily. His voice had changed from attempting a threat to something completely different, something almost scary.

A strange look passed over his face and he grinned. "D'ya like Bailey's girlie?"

* * *

Naboo made his way down into the shop from the flat on the floor above, laughing to himself. "Vince, Howard. You aren't going to believe this."

The two shopkeepers looked up from the magazines they had been reading, intrigued by the petite shaman's uncharacteristic laughter.

"Head Shaman find lost potion." Bollo descended the stairs, close at Naboo's heels.

"Well that's excellent news! Where was it?" Howard rubbed his hands together and closed his magazine.

"That's the bit you aren't gonna believe." Naboo grinned.

"Stop buildin' it up already! Whose got it?" Vince's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"A ghost from Howard's past." Still building suspense, the tiny shaman waved his hands in front of his face and continued to grin.

"Not Gideon's carp! I knew they'd come back for salty revenge!" Vince laughed.

"Not carp. Sea man Old Gregg has potion!" Bollo announced.

"I wanted to say it Bollo, ya ballbag." Naboo said over his shoulder.

"Oh. Sorry." The ape grunted an apology.

"All that hype for you to give it away." The shaman gave an exasperated sigh. "Yeah. Dennis told us this morning."

"You have got to be joking." Howard rubbed his eyes embarrassedly.

Vince made a face and suddenly wasn't joking anymore. "He was well mental. What if he pulls somethin' to get at Howard?"

"Don't worry. Head Shaman's sent someone to get the potion already. Everything should be fine." Naboo's smile faded and he turned back to the stairs. "Where's that girl that's been hanging around here? Howard finally scare her off?"

The smile returned to Vince's face. "She's supposed to be here. Where's she stayin' Howard. Let's go see what she's doing."

The mustached man looked up and nodded. "Yeah, alright. Let's go make sure she's alright."

* * *

"Why I always get paired with you I will never know Tony." Saboo grumbled. He had been locked in Naboo's second hand submarine for a little over an hour listening to Tony Harrison complain about motion sickness. The pink shape had been put in charge of navigation and was failing miserably.

"I'm tryin' my hardest! I cant see anything from this chair!" Tony strained to peek up to the control panel and window in front of the captains seat he'd told Saboo to put him on.

Saboo turned himself in the chair he'd taken for himself. "I'm beginning to think that head of yours is filled with nothing. I mean honestly Tony, your brain must be the size of a peanut." He set his chin in his hand and rolled his eyes at his struggling colleague. "Useless."

"I 'eard that."

"How! You've got no ears, you squid!" Frustrated, the feathery shaman turned his dark gaze to the small window in front of him. He spotted the cave they had been searching for and took the opportunity to gloat. "Ha! Found it! Thank you for absolutely nothing Tony." He took control of the wheel, and turned the underwater vehicle sharply towards the cave, giving Tony yet another excuse to wine.

* * *

Molly felt strange. She groaned as she reentered consciousness. She couldn't remember anything from before she'd blacked out. Her arms and legs felt clumsy and uncooperative as she tried to sit up. Finally, after a struggle, she sat and opened her eyes.

"This isn't my hotel room." She mumbled as she her eyes adjusted themselves to her dark surroundings. She didn't remember leaving her room at all, not after Howard had dropped her off. "What happened to me.."

Molly tried to run a hand through her hair, but there was no hair on her head. Instead her hand touched seaweed. Beginning to panic, she held out a piece to examine, and in the process caught site of a green scaly hand. The morning's events came back to her in a rush and she scrambled to her feet, looking around the cave franticaly. She made her way to a large mirror behind a bar, examining Old Gregg's face staring back at her. "He made me drink that potion. That's what was in that .." She trailed off as the gravity of the situation settled in. "What now?"

Around the same time, Vince and Howard were miles away, outside Molly's hotel room door. Howard knocked twice as Vince slipped over to the window.

"Vince! Stop peeking in there!" Howard hissed as the smaller man cupped his hands over his face to see in better.

"Looks like a hurricane went through there. Hope everything's okay." He ignored his friends request, trying to get a better look inside.

Suddenly the door flew open. Molly stood, awkwardly pulling on her shirt as if it didn't fit right, and messing with a piece of her hair.

"Molly?" Vince tilted his head to the side and she narrowed her eyes before grinning in Howard's direction.

"Hi there."


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: Sorry for the wait I guess.. Finals and essays are coming out of my ears. Can I hear it to escaping through writing? Here's 11 for anyone still sticking with me. :]_

* * *

"You're actin' weird Molly." Vince commented as the American girl moved around the Nabootique as though she'd never been there. She pulled things off shelves and moved things around. The girl didn't respond to him, instead she continued to rifle around on the shelves. Vince turned his gaze to Howard. "I don't get it. Why's she ignorin' me?" He whispered.

Howard shook his head. "I just don't know Little Man. This doesn't make any sense. She was fine when I dropped her off this morning."

The brunette made her way to the table top town Howard had constructed and leaned in towards it, twirling a single strand of her hair around her finger and still pulling at her shirt. She reached out a hand to move something and Howard grabbed her wrist.

"Don't move anything.. Thought we discussed this already." He laughed nervously as her gaze traveled from his hand on her wrist up to his face.

"Talked about it already?" She asked. "Didn't remember, do ya forgive me?" She batted her eyelashes and leaned towards Howard.

"Yeah. Its fine." Howard let go of her wrist and returned to Vince's side. "Are you sick or something Molly? Your voice sounds a bit off.."

"And your not wearin' the friendship bracelet I got you." Vince set his hands on his hips. "What's goin' on with you?"

The girl ignored Vince and continued to look around the shop.

"There's something definitely going on here Vince." Howard whispered.

"I'll say. She's like a completely different person." The smaller man shook his head. "What do you think we should do?"

"Ask Naboo?"

"Is that all you can come up with 'oward. He can't solve everythin' you know."

"Well its worth a shot isn't it? I mean maybe she's under a spell or something."

Vince let out a laugh. "Is she Snow White now? Maybe a wicked witch gave her an apple and she's fallen under a spell." He waved his hands in the air for emphasis.

Howard rolled his eyes. "Well I don't see you coming up with any brilliant ideas."

They watched the girl in silence for a moment. She seemed to be transfixed by her own reflection in the glass face of a clock. She had begun to apply bright red lipstick to her otherwise pale lips and examine her hair.

"I got it." Vince said excitedly, a huge grin on his face. "Lets ask Naboo!"

* * *

Molly sat on the floor of the silent cave, trying to think of anything to get her out of the situation. She'd found the remainder of the body switching potion amidst and unlimited supple of Bailey's beneath the bar in the cave. The label was written in a foreign language, so she couldn't ease her mind that there wouldn't be any consequences the longer she stayed in the body. She was at a loss and had sunk to the floor, fidgeting with her friendship bracelet from Vince. The only charms that were on it so far were a tiny suitcase and a little musical note.

"The little case is to represent how you travel everywhere. And the music note is for when you went to our concert." Vince had told her just before she put it on. "And you can just put the charms on for all the things you do. Its pretty cool."

As long she had the bracelet and her own voice all she needed to do was wait until the Board of Shaman came after the potion, and she'd have to trouble convincing them of her true identity, she hoped. She was afraid if it took to long, it could all backfire and there could be some side effect and she would be trapped in this body forever.

Molly tried not to panic. She took a few deep breaths and closed her eyes. "I just need to wait. Vince and Howard will believe me."

The sound of splashing water and arguing brought her out of her thoughts. She had no idea how much time had passed since she'd started trying to calm herself out of a panic attack. She stood as a submarine emerged from the water filled hole in the rock that led to the lake at the far end of the cave. With a huge creak the top opened to a pair of arguing shamen.

"I told you Tony. I told you it would have been easier if I just drove. But no. You always have to be the center of attention don't you." The first of the pair popped from the hatch, a stern look on his dark face. He wore dark feathered clothes, with a hat covered his head.

"I was put in charge of navigation!" A second whiny voice came from behind the first man. "Not my fault."

"Mmhm. Nothing is ever your fault is it you bladder." The first man stepped down from the submarine and looked around. His hard gaze fell on Molly and he rolled his eyes. "There you are. Where's the potion you pathetic creature? Or will I have to give you a large helping of crunch." He began to walk forward.

Scared, Molly clutched the bottle to her chest and took a few steps back.

"Saboo, what're ya doing? Ya can't intimidate it!" The whiny second voice came again. "You'll scare it off!"

Saboo rolled his eye and peeked over his shoulder at the pink creature in the papoose on his back. "You've got to be kidding me Tony."

"Let me 'ave a talk with it sunshine." Tony wiggled his tentacles. Saboo sighed and turned so the pink creature on his back could look at Molly. "Hi there you."

"Hi.." Molly managed to say near silently, though her voice still seemed to echo through the cave.

"You're a woman!" Saboo turned back with wide eyes. "Not even I saw that one coming."

"Its wearin' a skirt ya goon! Think it's got to be at least part girl!" Tony struggled to peek back over his fellow shaman's shoulder. "Are ya a girl?"

Molly bit her lip and clutched the potion bottle tighter.

"Well?" Saboo asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you.." Her eyes fell to the ground.

The pair of shamen exchanged a look. "Try us."

She looked up at the men and sighed. "Well here's what happened." She tried to tell them all the events from the previous night up until the exact moment Tony and Saboo had entered the cave in excruciating detail. She held out the half gone potion along with Vince's friendship bracelet for proof of her plight.

Saboo had perched himself on bar with Tony placed beside him on the stone top. "You really expect me to believe that fish man?"

"Now hold on a sec.." The pink shaman's eyes met Molly's. "I gotta say, I think I believe ya."

"You do!" She gave a relieved smile.

"You're not serious." Saboo stood and glared at the girl in the fish man's body. "If you honestly think I'm going to believe a word of the ridiculous tale you've woven for us you've got to be out of your mind. Now hand over the potion so we can get out of this dreadful cave you call a home."

He made his way towards her and Molly backed away until she tripped and landed on her back on the stony cave floor. She eyed the intimidating man as he stopped at her feet.

"Truly pathetic."

"Saboo! Give it.. Er.. Her the benefit of the doubt 'ere." Tony hopped from the bar and squirmed his way across the floor. "Tell me Saboo, what sorta potion were we after here?"

"Body switching potion Tony."

"Right. So isn't there just a slight chance the fish thing got outta 'ere and got to the girl before we got to the potion?"

Saboo looked lost for a moment, then let out a frustrated groan.

"Least we could do is take 'er back to Dennis and the boys and see what's what."

"Fine. But if your lying I will personally bring the crunch upon the both of you." The dark shaman gave in and scooped the pink creature back into the papoose on his back.

"Never believed I had a gift for strategy did you!" Tony gloated, a smug grin on his pink face. "Lets move you!" He addressed Molly, still in shock on the floor.

"Your really taking me with you?" She stood and took a few hesitant steps after the two strange shaman.

"Yes." Saboo peeked over his shoulder, continuing to stroll towards the submarine. "Unless you'd rather have your taste of crunch now."

"No.. That's alright." She caught up with him, clutching the potion tightly. "And you can call me Molly."

"I prefer fish man." He said shortly, climbing up to the submarine hatch.

"That's fine too." She mumbled, following close behind.

"I like Molly just fine." The little pink shaman smiled from Saboo's back. "I'm Tony 'arrison."

"Nice to meet you." She smiled as they settled into the tight space inside the aquatic vehicle.

Saboo took the front seat this time, ready to navigate back to the woods where the Board of Shaman was waiting for their return. "Dennis is not going to be happy about this, I assure you." He grumbled

"Ah, lighten up." Tony rolled his eyes as the submarine sank back into the lake water.

Molly sat on the cool metal floor and pulled her knees up to her chest. For a while, she watched the potion swirl around in the bottle with the gentle rocking of the underwater vehicle. She sighed and closed her eyes against her knees. This would all be over soon enough.


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: I'm so juiced about my ideas! Anyway! Everyone's being so supportive, alerting and reviewing and on occasion favoriting.. You guys keep me going so thank you so much! I need to most def write out a big thank you and call you all out by name one of these chapters.. As a big grand finale! (Though that might be a few chapters.. I dont know what I'm going to do after! :(() Make my list longer! Don't be shy, I don't bite! I live for reviews! On to Chapter 12! _

* * *

"Oh come on Naboo! She's actin' really weird." Vince followed Naboo closely around the flat while Howard kept the girl in question occupied in the store below.

"Vince I barely know this girl. How do I know if she's acting weird.?"

"Because I just told you!"

"Listen Vince, I wish I had time to help but me and Bollo have gotta go." Naboo made his way back into his room with Vince close at his heels.

"What? Where?" His voice squeaked in disbelief.

"Gotta be there to pick up that potion we lost. Head Shaman rang us a bit ago" The tiny shaman pulled his flying carpet off a shelf and made his way back out into the living room area. "Come on Bollo."

The ape stood from the couch with a grunt and they began to make their way over to the stairs.

"Ain't there nothing you can do Naboo?" Vince tried desperately.

Naboo sighed and glanced back over his shoulder. "Look Vince, I'll have a look when I get back, yeah?"

"Cheers Naboo, you're a diamond." The smile returned to his face.

"Yeah see you later."

The miniature sized shaman disappeared out the door with his familiar, leaving Vince at the top of the stairs. He ruffled the top layer of his hair and took a deep breath. He couldn't stand that his new friend was acting so cold to him, and yet her attitude towards Howard had stayed the same. No scratch that, she had become suddenly overly friendly with his best friend. She had never seemed to favor either him or Howard more then the other. He crossed his arms, brain cell hard at work. What could have made her personality change so drastically?

"_What sorta potion did Naboo say had gone missin'?" _The brain cell shifted through papers on his desk, on the verge of an idea. _"And who nicked it again?"_

Vince bit his lip in concentration as he descended the stairs into the shop. "Hey Howard.. Who stole that potion again? I can't remember-" He stopped. The shop was empty. "Howard?" There was no response and his gaze fell on a piece of paper on the counter.

"_Vince, Molly and me went for a walk. She wants me to take her to the jazz club. Wish me luck. Howard."_

Frustrated, Vince crumpled the note and threw it across the room. He rarely ever had ides and here he was on the verge of a potentially enormous one and Howard had run off with the girl who was the root of what seemed to now be turning into a problem. Angrily, he stomped up the stairs and sat down on the couch.

"Fine. This is Howard's problem now." He ignored the grumblings of his lone brain cell, as he began to shove all the information on the situation he had gathered into a trash can, and turned on the TV.

At the same time, deep in the woods, the Board of Shaman were waiting on Naboo. That or Tony and Saboo, whoever happened to show first. Truth be told they were in no real hurry. As far as they were concerned the potion was relatively safe. The silhouette of someone on a magic carpet appeared against the moon and landed safely in front of the table.

"Ah, Naboo and Bollo." The Head Shaman greeted them with a stern nod of the head.

"Alright Dennis." Naboo's dark eyes fell on the empty chair at the table. "Where are Saboo and Tony?"

"Off retrieving the potion. They have yet to return. Hope you don't mind waiting a bit." He chuckled then looked at the other colorful shaman at the table, who weren't paying any sort of attention.

Naboo shook his head. "Guess not. But I got things to do back in my shop, so I can't hang around forever."

Dennis nodded. "Of course. Of course."

No sooner had he spoken, a second magic carpet landed in the clearing. Saboo stood with Tony strapped to his back, and helped the third passenger to their feet, before setting Tony on the table and returning to his chair.

"Who is this Saboo?" Dennis asked, eyeing the new member in the clearing. "And why does it have our potion?"

Molly stepped into the moonlight.

"You're that thing that had Howard." Naboo scowled.

"Hm. Why you here?" Bollo grunted.

"Now 'old up a second. There's a reason we brought it.. I mean her 'ere." Tony spoke up and drew the attention off the girl in the fish man's body.

"Please explain Tony." Dennis' white eyes were focused on Saboo, who had rested his forehead on the table.

"She's not the fish thing!" Tony exclaimed.

A shocked murmur traveled among the shaman and Naboo turned to her.

"It's true. I didn't want to believe it myself, but the.. Girl has provided enough proof that I can without a doubt vouch for the truth of this story." Saboo said without lifting his forehead from the table.

"Is this true.."

"Molly?" Naboo cut the Head Shaman off, taking a few steps towards her. "That you in there?"

"Yeah.." She gave an embarrassed smile.

Everything clicked into place suddenly. If this was Molly here, then the Molly back at the shop was actually Old Gregg. If this was true, then Vince had been entirely right. She wasn't herself and he was no doubt after Howard. "This is a disaster.."

"Would someone mind explaining this to me?" Dennis stood suddenly. "Saboo? Tony? Naboo, who seems to have magically connected all the clues? Crazy fish person?"

Everyone turned to him in shocked silence.

"Everythin' alright?" Bollo spoke first as the Head Shaman sank into his chair, rubbing his temples. "You have mini freak-out."

"I'm fine." He let out a breath. "If someone would just explain the situation that would be extremely helpful."

After a short silence, Saboo lifted his forehead from the table top. "You're all useless. Here's what happened. The girl in the fish body has been hanging out with the guys Naboo has living in his house, one of which was the former lover of this fish man or something I really don't care to hear too much detail on. This fish man, in order to get back with the lost love, I'm assuming has switched bodies with this girl using the potion and leaving us in the situation we find ourselves in presently. Just about got it all there princess?" His gaze fell on Molly.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks Saboo." She tried to smile.

Dennis stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Hm.."

"Well? We gotta sort this out Dennis." Tony spoke next. "Ain't there somethin' we can do? We gotta get that fish thing 'ere and switch 'em back."

"I think we must first confirm that this story is true once and for all." The Head Shaman stood and nodded back into the trees. "The Mirror of Truth."

A murmur traveled among the shaman on the board. Molly bit her lip as Dennis motioned for her to follow. She glanced over to Naboo.

"Go on then. If you're telling the truth you got nothin' to be afraid of and Vince and Howard can stop worryin' about you." He crossed his arms.

Reassured, she took a few slow steps after Dennis. All the shaman in the clearing watched her closely. She hesitated, then set the potion down on the table. "Here." She said quickly before running after the Head Shaman. He had stopped in front of a tree, leaning against which was a velvety covered rectangle.

"Stand here." He gestured to the ground beside him and she stepped forward. He set a hand on the covering. "Are you ready?"

She nodded.

"Are you sure?"

She glanced at him then nodded again

"But are you really-"

"Your making me doubt myself now Head Shaman." She smiled up at the tall man.

"Yes well." He cleared his throat, then pulled on the purple velvet. "Just make eye contact with your reflection and it will show you the truth." In a dramatic whoosh, he pulled the cover back to reveal a relatively unassuming mirror. There was nothing about it that would make anyone think it was anything more then just an ordinary mirror.

Molly met the gaze of the fish creature staring back at her. A few seconds ticked by and she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. What if she had already been in this body for too long? What if she could never return to being herself?

"Oh silly me." Dennis' voice made her look. He had bent to the ground and held up a power cord. "Forgot to plug it in." He plugged it into an electrical outlet in the side of the tree and turned back Molly. "Try now."

She shook her head in disbelief and turned back to the mirror. Almost immediately, colors swirled and the reflection changed to herself.

"Aha! The girl is telling the truth." Dennis called back to the other shaman.

"Told you Saboo!" Tony exclaimed.

"And I believed you, you cleft!" Saboo responded.

Molly let out a sigh of relief. She was still in there somewhere. She touched the mirror lightly with her scaly fingertips.

"Molly." Naboo sounded as though he'd said her name several times already. He held out the potion and swirled it around a few times. "Come on. Lets get this mess sorted out."


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: I should be studying for finals! Oh well. Also, not sure what this means, but I'm over 1,000 hits! Is this good? Probably. I don't know. It's exciting though! On to Chapter 13.. After a horrible battle with the writers block monster. He seems to be hanging out under my desk and waiting for the right time to strike. Not cool at all.. Apologies for the lack of action as well as relative shortness of this chapter.. Reviews keep the monster away! _

* * *

"Boring.. Boring.." Vince clicked through station after station on the fuzzy television set. Nothing caught his attention and he dropped the remote with a huff. The sun had set and Howard hadn't come back yet. He was probably out having a blast. He crossed his arms angrily. Suddenly, a door creaked opened downstairs and he peeked over the back of the couch.

"Just relax-" Naboo's voice came first.

"I've been relaxed! Now is not the time to relax! In fact, I think that now would be a perfect time to freak out!"

"..Molly?" Vince crept to the top of the stairs. Naboo stood just at the bottom step holding the crinkled note from Howard in his hands. "Naboo?"

"Do you know anything about this?" The tiny shaman held up the paper. "You let Howard leave?"

"He left with Molly. No big deal right?" He descended the stairs cautiously.

Naboo rubbed his forehead. "It could be a real big deal actually."

"What's goin' on?" He reached the bottom of the stairs and looked around. "Didn't you get the potion back?"

"We get potion." Bollo's gruff voice made him turn to the counter. The gorilla stood with his hand on the shoulder of a person Vince didn't quite recognize. They sat on the countertop with their face in their lap.

Vince was confused. "What's goin' on here? Is Howard in trouble?"

"He could be. Molly would you mind explaining." Naboo didn't look up from the wrinkled paper in his hands, but nodded in the direction of Bollo and the person on the table.

Reluctantly, Molly looked up. "Hi Vince."

"How'd you get to look like Old Gregg?" He stared at the face of the creature that had kidnapped his best friend almost a whole year earlier.

He knit his eyebrows together in concentration as she began to tell him the story that had already been told a million times that night. She pointed at the potion Bollo held in his large hairy hands, then finally held out her wrist with the friendship bracelet on it. His eyes grew wide.

"That other Molly didn't have this!" He pulled on her wrist to get a closer look at the tiny charms.

"That's not another Molly though, its Old Gregg in my body." Her voice was small again, as she tried desperately to relax. "Who knows what he's doing. And Howard! Howard could be in danger! You said this thing kidnapped him before!"

"Little Molly need to take deep breath and relax." Bollo stopped her as her voice grew frantic again.

She groaned and closed the eyes that didn't belong to her.

"We should probably go find Howard." Naboo decided. "Come on Bollo. Lets go check out some jazz clubs. Vince, look after Molly yeah?"

"Yeah no problem." He mumbled, studying the fish creature sitting on the counter. After a moment of tense silence he said. "Howard attracts some real freaks."

Molly laughed a little and looked up at her friend. "What do we do now?" Her voice was quiet. "What if Naboo doesn't find Howard? What if something's happened?"

Vince hopped up on the counter next to her and took a deep breath, swinging his legs back and forth and chewing on his lip nervously. "Howard's usually the one that comes up with plans. Last time I tried, all I managed was a picture of a pony.."

She turned to him. "Can't you think of anything? I mean, you're the expert on being stuck in situations that couldn't ever happen."

He smiled. "If it'll help I spose I could try. Until then, how about some hot chocolate."

"Yeah, that sounds good." She nodded.

"And, If they're not back in an hour we'll go and look ourselves." He grinned.

She followed him up the stairs into the flat, unsure about this new plan but willing to trust him.

* * *

Naboo and Bollo had spent a long time searching for Howard. They had no idea how long he'd had been gone for and no idea what jazz club he had planned on going to. They ended up in several and after asking around, no one seemed to have seen him or Molly's body anywhere.

"Bollo beginning to think they no go to jazz club at all." The ape grumbled as he and Naboo left the last lounge they could think of, and began to head back to the shop.

"That's not good. Howard's gone and done it now. We'll have to track him down before something happens to the ballbag."

"Where we goin' now?" Bollo shuffled after the angry shaman.

"Home. We've checked every jazz club I can think of. We need to find that crystal ball. 's somewhere in the attic prolly."

"If we have crystal ball, why we no use when we lose potion."

Naboo shot a look over his shoulder. "I didn't think about it. Let's just get home." He shook his head, frustrated with the whole situation. This had gotten out of hand. He had gotten used to sorting out Howard and Vince's problems. But a lost potion and a magical mix up were right up his alley. If he had thought of that stupid crystal ball earlier they wouldn't be in this mess. He could have gotten he potion back himself and it all could have been over.

"Naboo." Bollo snapped him from his thoughts. They had returned to the shop.

"What is this?" He grabbed a paper his familiar held in his hands.

He grunted. "Note from Vince. Found on counter."

"What? You've got to be kidding."

"_Hey Naboo! Me an' Molly went out to look for Howard. You were taking pretty long. Anyway, I hid the seaweed and green skin business so you got nothing to worry about. Prolly be back later. Vince Noir, rock and roll star."_

The note was scribbled in crayon, in the middle of little doodles. Naboo slammed it onto the countertop and stomped up the stairs.

"I gotta bad feelin' about this.." Bollo left the note and followed the tiny shaman up the stairs to look for the crystal ball. If they couldn't find it, he knew they would have to go the Board of Shaman for help and that was never a good thing.


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Sorry about the wait on this.. The writers block monster isn't leaving me alone. Not to mention I've been beyond busy. One year anniversaries and best friends graduating and others coming back for the first time in over a year.. I'm losing my mind! How did I do with Fossil? He's just so hard to write.._

* * *

"_Aren't you glad you decided to stay here with your new friends? Isn't this just fantastic?_" The long silent voice in her head decided to speak up as Molly was dragged down the street in Vince's clothes. _"Look at you, stuck in someone else's clothes and body. You could have been gone by now."_

"I stick out like a sore thumb Vince." Molly said under her breath, ignoring the voice, as the young man continued to pull her down the street.

"What d'you mean?" He glanced back over his shoulder.

Molly peered up at him through the enormous pair of sunglasses Vince had found for her in his room. He'd manage to cover the seaweed hair with a hat and the rest of her body was covered up by a shiny cape. "I mean I'm not exactly blending in am I."

"Just own it." He laughed then pulled her across a street. "Now I'm sure Naboo didn't check here."

Holding the hat down, she looked up at the building. "The Velvet Onion?"

"Yeah! Me an' Howard have known he owner for years." He pushed the door open and smiled. "After you."

She hesitated, then stepped into the empty club. It seemed so different then the packed, music filled club she'd been in just a few nights earlier.

"Mr. Fossil!" Vince's voice made her jump as the door slammed behind him. "You here? I gotta question!"

Music drifted from the upper level of the club, and she took a few steps toward the stairs.

"Upstairs it is then." Vince took the lead and Molly followed close behind. ""Mr. Fossil?" He tapped lightly on a slightly cracked door. The music, along with someone mumbling, were coming from inside the office.

"He's not listening Vince." Molly tugged nervously on his sleeve, which she'd taken a hold of on the way up the stairs.

"Then we just go in." He laughed, pushing open the door with a creak.

"Thought I heard you Vincey!" Bob Fossil was hunched over his desk, focusing extremely hard on something. "And friend? Who the hell are you!"

"This is Molly, she's a friend of mine. Actually that's why I'm here."

"Right right, friends. Alright well grab a chair and tell me what ya need." He grinned and motioned to a pair of chairs in front of his desk. "Molly right? Cape girl. I'll remember that better. I'm Bobby Bob Bob, the blue pony. Nice to meet ya."

She smiled despite herself. "I'll remember that no problem."

Vince clapped his hands lightly and returned focus to himself. "Look Bob, have you seen 'oward around?"

"Moon!" His face scrunched up in disgust and he spit on the floor next to his chair. However, the sudden anger faded quickly and he crossed his hands politely. "Haven't seen him anywhere, no."

Vince let out a breath. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. I'd remember seeing that stupid moustache of his any day." Suddenly he seemed distracted. "Ooh, I love this song." He began to rock back and forth in his chair.

"Please focus Mr. Fossil." Molly spoke up as the strange man in the too tight, powder blue suit turned his music up and began to gyrate against the chair he had been sitting in. "Howard's gone missing."

"Missing?"

"Yeah and one of Naboo's potions got stolen and there was this big mix up." Vince stood up in an attempt to make him focus on the situation.

"Naboo boo?" Bob began to rub his nipples, not really paying attention.

"His potion was stolen by a lake monster!" Angrily, Vince shut his music off.

Bob looked shocked for a moment. "Underwater dragon, right." He looked serious again and sank back into his chair.

"Not exactly.." Molly started, but before she could finish Vince pulled the hat and glasses from her head.

"Holy shit monkeys!" He jumped from his chair and took a karate pose behind it. "What in the name of Dixon Bainbridge is that! What did you bring into my club Vince! Your not a girl at all! Fish.. Seaweed.. Lipstick.. Eyes-"

"Fossil!" Vince took him by the shoulders. "This thing used the potion it stole from Naboo and switched bodies with my friend Molly."

"You confuse me!" Bob yelled at Molly, who was now standing by the door. "You were a girl and now you're a, well, not a girl! Or part girl, I'm not sure about this one yet!"

"I'm a girl in a fish body." She crossed her arms self consciously across her chest as Vince rolled his big blue eyes.

"Listen, you see the situation is pretty bad now, right?"

"Bad! This is worse then the time I got stuck in the ocelot pit back at the Zooniverse! And that was bad. Little fur devils." He poked a finger at Vince's chest. "But I get it, I think." He scratched his head through his think brown curls.

"Good!" Vince said happily.

"I'll keep an eye out for Moon for ya." He set his hands on his hips and nodded his head. "But don't think I can do your jobs for you! I'm a pretty busy man you know! I gotta business to run here!"

"Yeah I know. We've got another gig comin' up don't we?" Vince asked absentmindedly as he worked to re-cover Molly with the hat and glasses.

"I don't know. I don't write these things down. Besides, reading is evil. Why would I put myself up to something like that Vincey?"

"That should just about do it." He mumbled to himself, before turning back to Fossil. "Well let us know if you see Howard around, yeah? Bye Mr. Fossil."

"Bye Vincey and friend? Who the hell are you!" The strange man seemed to completely forget the previous conversation.

"I'm Molly. We just had that talk about Howard?" She was baffled, as Vince pulled her out of the office by the hand.

"He's a bit of a simpleton. Best to just leave it alone."

"Oh I see." She nodded. "Hey I've got an idea! We could go see if Gregg left anything in my hotel room. We might find a clue or something."

"Good one Molly. Lets go check it out."

With that they disappeared out onto the streets, heading towards Molly's hotel room to search for any traces of Old Gregg. As they disappeared around a corner, the very mustached man they had been looking for was only a few blocks away having a not unpleasant afternoon. He had been talking almost nonstop to a girl who didn't seem to mind his endless jazz stories. Though there was something unsettling about the way she stared at him. All the time they'd been out, even while they were walking, her wide eyes had never left his face.

"Er.. Where exactly are we going?" Howard said as he realized he'd been lost in thought for quite a while and they had ended up in a shadowy alleyway.

"This'll work just fine." She grinned, a strange glint in her eyes.

He cleared his throat nervously. Something was off, something he'd been ignoring all day. "Work for what?"

"Ya promised me Howard. Promised we'd be together forever. Don't ya remember?"

"I really don't know what your talking about." In actuality he had a pretty good idea what she was talking about and he took a few nervous steps back.

"Mmhm. 'Course ya don't. Ya broke my heart after ya broke your promise."

"Now just hold on a second." His back bumped against the brick wall of the alleyway as the girl, who wasn't really his friend at all, closed in on him.

"I been holdin' on. Almost a year now. You're lucky my funk came back to me Howard, or I'd be madder then mad."

"You've got it all wrong Gregg, lets not be rash now." He laughed nervously.

"I ain't got no rash." The fish man in the girl's body poked a finger into his chest. "We're goin' back to Gregg's place now. We'll give this another try. Otherwise I'll have no choice but to do you like I done Curley Jefferson."

"I'm not going anywhere sir!" Howard protested. "I don't love you. Do we really need to go through this again? Vince'll be looking for me and you for that matter. He thinks your Molly. We need to get you back to Naboo and into your own body-"

"No!" He took hold of Howard's wrist with surprising strength. "I'm done bein' nice to ya Howard. No one's ever gotten away from me. You must love me exactly as I love you."

Howard narrowed his gaze, noticing the change in the merman's voice. "What have you done with Molly?"

"She's back at Old Gregg's place, which is where you and I are goin' now." He emphasized this with a sharp tug on Howard's arm.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me."

"Not kidding at all. You either come on your own or I employ certain tactics to make you come whether you want to or not."

Howard struggled to break Gregg's grip on his wrist. "What sort of tactics exactly? Let go will you!"

A strange grin spread over his captor's face. "Didn't only steal one potion from your little shaman friend, did I? No. I'll knock you out, brainwash you and then you'll love me."

This situation couldn't get any worse, there was just now way. Howard doubted he could get away, not with Gregg in the possession of some mystery potions. His only option was to go along with this for now. He laughed and tried to relax, plastering a very fake smile onto his lips. "You got me Gregg. Figured me and my games out again, yes sir."

"Games?"

"That's right. Just playin' some more love games. Lets get back to your place, yeah? Do some water colors, drink some Bailey's, what do you say?"

Warily, Gregg nodded. "Fine." His hand slipped into Howard's and he pulled him out to the road. "But you won't be lucky like last time, no sir."

Trying to not appear outwardly terrified, Howard followed the fish man who'd possessed his newest friend down the sidewalk. He hoped Molly was alright wherever she was. He hoped that Vince would notice he'd been gone for a while and ask Naboo to help find him. Everything's going to be fine, he told himself, and he hoped everything really would be.


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: Alright.. So I really REALLY apologize for the wait here. I attempted to decapitate the writer's block monster, but he explained to me that he is only a projection and is currently on Jupiter living it up right now. Then he crashed my computer. Improvising on my dad's awful laptop right now. Anyway, here's 15 (One more apology for the length.. Sort of short, hope that's alright for now..) :]_

* * *

Vince and Molly checked every square inch of the hotel room, with no luck. Well, a small amount of luck in the form of a business card with "I'm Old Gregg" written across the front. But this still didn't give them any information about where the fish-man could had taken Howard.

"This is impossible!" Molly groaned, collapsing onto the bed.

"Nothin's impossible," Vince sat beside her and sighed. "We're just gonna have to go back and talk to Naboo. He's gonna be pretty annoyed that we left."

Molly looked up from the bed. This was a disaster.

"Let's get you covered back up yeah?"

Back at the Nabootique, Naboo sat with his eyes focused in on the dusty crystal ball. Bollo shuffled to his side. He bent to look at the tiny image.

"I gotta bad feelin'-"

"Could you shut it?" Naboo snapped, looking up briefly to glare at his familiar. "I think we've all gotta bad feeling alright?"

Bollo grunted and rolled his blue eyes. "Howard in fish man's cave again. We go save him?"

The door from the shop creaked open before the pocket sized shaman had the chance to answer. Two pairs of feet climbed the stairs and Vince and Molly entered the flat to silence and a glaring Naboo.

"Where the hell have you two been!" He stood and the crystal ball rolled onto the couch.

Vince smiled. "Cool your boots Naboo. We just went looking for clues."

"We don't need clues. I have a crystal ball." He crossed his arms.

Molly sunk into a chair in the corner of the room and covered her face with her hands. "I just want my body back. I think I'm going crazy in this one. You wouldn't happen to have any water colors, would you?"

Naboo made his way across the room and took her chin in his hand. He felt her forehead like a doctor and leaned in close to look at her eyes. "Hm.."

"What is it Naboo?" Vince said worriedly, creeping up to his side and peeking over his shoulder.

"Side effects of the potion seem to be kicking in."

Molly felt her heart skip a beat. "Side effects?"

"Yeah. You seem to be picking up on personality traits of Gregg. I doubt you'll become him, but he seems to be rubbing off on you." He paused as she began to panic. "We need to get you back to your own body before this becomes a bigger mess then it already is."

"You've got to be kidding me." Molly whispered.

"Don't worry." Vince tried to sound comforting.

She looked up at him in disbelief. "Don't worry? Ive been turned into a fishman! And now, not only do I look like a deep sea transvestite, but I'm starting to act like one too!"

"Guess that makes sense." Vince sank down onto the couch next to Naboo. "What we gonna do Naboo? Have you found Howard?"

Naboo laughed a little. "Want the good news or bad news."

"Lets hear some good news." Molly piped up from the corner of the room.

"Good news is we found Howard.

Vince grinned. "Well that's great! We just gotta go get him right?"

"Bad news, he's already in Gregg's cave." Bollo grunted.

"That is bad news." Molly mumbled. "What are we going to do?"

Vince chewed on his lip. "We gotta go get him. That fish ain't gonna keep him that's for sure."

Naboo nodded in agreement, then sighed. "That means we gotta dig the submarine out. No way am I goin' to the Board of Shaman."

"I get it." Bollo nodded and disappeared down the hallway.

"Don't worry. We'll sort this mess out in no time." Vince smiled and gave a reassuring look over his shoulder to Molly.

She tried to smile, but the voice in her head was getting hard to ignore. This was a bad idea it told her over and over again. It seemed to be getting louder the longer she ignored it's warnings. She hated to admit it, but it had been right so far. If she would have left when it had told her to, she wouldn't be in this mess. She sighed, and closed her eyes. There was nothing to do now but get everything fixed.

* * *

"Listen Gregg, I already told you I love you! I love you, I do! This isn't necessary at all." Howard said nervously as he struggled against the chain that had been placed around his ankle, then attached to the bar. "I'm really not going anywhere this time. I promise." He tried to smile.

Gregg was having none of it. He sat at the small table just out of reach of the chain, sipping on a glass of Bailey's. "Hm. Don't believe ya. Hope ya understand why."

Howard groaned. "This is ridiculous." He tugged at the chain.

"You're ridiculous!" Gregg shot back, dropping the glass to the floor, where it shattered. "Ya promised you loved me last time and then left. Ya can't expect me to let ya get away again. No one gets away from Old Greggory." He stormed off around a bend into another area of the cave, pacing the stony floor and mumbling to himself.

The Funk, jarred from a peaceful disco dream, purred up at the livid fish man.

"Don't ya worry Funky, Howard's not gettin' away. Not this time."

"Howard." The space creature blinked its dark gleaming eyes.

Gregg hugged his knees and patted the purple creatures head. "That's right. I got him back here, in Gregg's place. Now just gotta make him stay."

The Funk cocked it's head to the side. "Howard?"

"He's chained to the bar now, claimin' he loves me." Gregg rolled his eyes and began to pace again. "He did that before. Howard's lyin' through his teeth to get out of here. Not gonna happen. Not this time." He bent to pat the funk on the head one last time. "Back out there then to make sure Howard's comfortable."

The purple space udder settled back into it's bed in the corner of the room, with a soft sigh. This was the same as Curly Jefferson. At this rate it would only be a few more hours before the Gregg snapped and mounted Howard on the wall.

* * *

"Head Shaman, you're not honestly considering leaving this mission in the hands of Naboo and his ape, are you?" Saboo had been complaining for hours about the lost potion and switched bodies. Even Harrison had given up on trying to stop him. The rest of the Board sat with their head in their hands, trying to sooth the Saboo induced headaches. "Listen I'm merely saying that this is the last time I'm going to allow Naboo to screw something simple like this up."

"I understand where you're coming from Saboo-"

"We all got it ages ago." Tony cut Dennis off with an annoyed mumble.

"Yes that's true, but the fact of the matter is Naboo is handling it just fine." The Head Shaman rubbed his forehead. "It's his mess and he is cleaning it up."

"Yes but you do understand it's his fault to begin with." Saboo insisted.

A collective groan escaped the gathered shaman.

"I promise you Saboo, if this takes a turn for the worse or Naboo is somehow unable to retrieve the potion, I will send you to do it solo to allow for the most bragging rights as well as a fairly substantial ego boost, as if your in need of that." Dennis' voice oozed sarcasm.

Saboo narrowed his gaze. "Sarcasm. Fine, if you refuse to take something like this seriously how will you handle yourselves when it comes to the crunch?"

Finally frustrated, Kirk stood and stormed into the trees, causing his chair to flip backwards in the most dramatic way possible.

"Look what you've done now ya goon. He wont be back for weeks!" Tony whined.

In a huff, Saboo crossed his arms and settled into silence.

Dennis held his forehead to stop the migraine forming just behind his eyes, trying to focus on two crystal balls on the table in front of him. One monitored the situation in the fish man's cave and the other followed a diligently working, though slightly annoyed looking, Naboo and his band of rescuers. "Everything seems to be fine for now. Just need to make sure nothing gets out of hand."


	16. Chapter 16

_A/N: I think we've reached the last two chapters here! :[ I know, I know.. I don't know what to write after! I need to start brainstorming! Maybe I'll do some requests or something! Or maybe some little one shots and drabbles? (I have about a zillion of those scribbled in a notebook somewhere..) Maybe even a sequel if you guys are interested. I do have ideas. What do you guys think? Send me messages or reviews (which I've opened up to anonymous readers as well, don't be shy. Haha.) I guess I'll put an expanded version of this up on my profile too if you guys need more information! What should I write? Look forward to hearing from the greatest readers ever. ;] For now here's Chapter 16!_

* * *

Much to everyone's distress, the situation had gotten out of hand quickly. Shortly after Gregg's return, Howard had asked a few more times to be taken off the chain, which ended in him being cracked over the head with a bottle of Baileys. Practically red in the face, the deep sea transvestite in the American girls body tore the mounted Curly Jefferson from his spot on the wall and began preparing it for an unconscious Howard. Meanwhile, Naboo and his rescue squad, who were monitoring the situation via crystal ball, were struggling to navigate in the dark lake waters to the cave they'd found on accident the first time. And a panicking Molly, a worried Vince, a grumbling Bollo and a high Naboo made for the worst possible mix of people to have in tiny submarine. Monitoring both situations, as well as trying to keep Saboo and Tony from biting each others heads off was Dennis. The situation had indeed gotten out of hand and on cue, Saboo had started bragging about his "prowess for predicting terrible situations."

"You all should have listened to me from the beginning." Saboo had been gloating for hours. In fact the Head Shaman was sure they would never hear the end of it this time. "If you'd sent me in the first place, the potion would be safely in our hands, the switched souls would be in their proper bodies and Naboo would have his powers taken away once and for all!"

Dennis scowled. "Now Saboo, I think we can all agree that's a little harsh. Besides, everything will work out. It's in your hands now. Take Harrison and retrieve the potion."

The tiny pink shaman rolled his eyes. "I 'ate to say it Dennis, but even I've 'ad my fill of Saboo for now. I don't think I can 'andle witty comebacks, or use my navigational skills to their full potential. Send Kirk with 'im."

"Kirk has yet to return from the woods. I doubt well see him for days, if not weeks. He's been thrown into a rage. Perhaps its best to let him be for now, lest we lose another member of the board." Dennis said darkly.

A few shaman sitting at the board bowed their heads and mumbled Simon. Even Saboo, on his ego induced high horse flinched, then bowed his head. Tony closed his eyes and sighed.

"We'll not soon forget Simon. Or the way he was disemboweled and strung through the tree tops." Dennis stood slowly and closed his silvery eyes. "Let his death stand as a warning against bothering Kirk while he's in a rage."

Saboo smirked. "Come along Tony. I'll show you firsthand what it means to bring the crunch down upon this fish man."

Tony made a face. "Yeah, fine."

Saboo unrolled his magic carpet and slipped Tony into the papoose already secured on his back. With a dramatic whoosh, the carpet took off into the moonlit sky and away towards the cave.

* * *

Tensions were rising in the tiny submarine as Naboo and Bollo argued for control of navigation, each claiming only they remembered the way to get there.

"See the funny thing is no one was payin' attention last time." Vince and Molly sat at the back of the underwater vehicle, trying to stay calm. "Neither of 'em remember."

Molly tried to smile. He was only trying to help her feel better, but the truth of the matter was if they couldn't find this elusive cave then she would be stuck forever in a tutu wearing, green fish creature's body. She sighed.

"Just relax." He set a hand on her shoulder. His big blue eyes turned to the window. "I wish it wasn't so dark out there.." As if on cue, a beam of bright light appeared and something flew into the water. He hopped to his feet and ran to the window. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Molly peered out the window over his shoulder.

"Board of Shaman is steppin' in. We'll follow the light." Naboo grumbled.

Bollo grunted.

"Don't even say it." Naboo cut him off before he got his signature catchphrase out. He spun the wheel around and followed the light flying through the water.

* * *

Howard groaned and opened him eyes.

"Finally waking up I see." Gregg's voice made him turn his head.

The mustached man struggled to move.

"Don't bother. I got ya pinned, ready to be mounted you lying sack a kidney beans." He said through his teeth.

"Mounted?" Howard managed to look down at himself. His arms were pinned to his sides and he was laying on a wooden plaque. "What is all this?"

With a ching, Gregg pulled a over sized knife from behind his back. "_All this_, Howard, is what you get for lyin' to me, and runnin' away!"

"This is-"

"Ridiculous? Yes it is! That's why, just like Curly Jefferson, I'm gonna kill ya!"

Howard's blood ran cold. Something had changed. Gregg had been off before, but whatever was off about him was now completely turned on its head insane. If his friends were planning some sort of rescue, any time soon would be a great time to pop in and get that under way. Another sound from the knife snapped Howard from his thoughts.

"You ready to be stuffed and mounted ya fuzzy little man peach?" A maniacal grin spread over the face of his friend. The sound of water bursting echoed through the cave and shattered the tense situation.

"Oh thank god!" Howard struggled to look back at his rescuers. "Vince? Naboo? Is that you?"

"Shut that mouth of yours Howard Moon." Gregg threw the knife to the floor. "It ain't your friends. Who the hell are you?"

"We're from the Board of Shaman, and we're here to impound this body and put you back in your own." Saboo's voice echoed from across the cave.

"Don't we sound cocky." Tony's voice came dripping with resentment.

Gregg clenched his fists in frustration. "What are you doing in Gregg's place! Ya weren't invited down here!"

Before Saboo had time to voice his witty comeback, a second object burst through the water at corner of the cave. The lid to the submarine creaked open and Naboo and his team slipped out into the cave.

"What're you doing here Saboo! I said I could handle it!" Naboo scowled at the dark shaman, who scowled right back.

"It's about time you got here!" Howard yelled as Vince made his way to his side to free him, Molly close behind.

"Want me to untie you or not ya ballbag." Vince narrowed his icy eyes at his best friend.

"Give me my body back you crazy fish!" Molly shouted.

This started storm of arguing people all jammed into the tiny cave. Naboo arguing with Saboo over who had the right to come and save the day. Howard and Vince seemed to be having some disagreement about whether the mustached man should remain in the cave or apologize to Vince for shouting. Molly and Gregg were having a rather violent fight about which body each should end up in, that seemed to be escalating at a rapid pace.

"That's enough!" Tony Harrison's voice created a shocked silence in the cave. "I 'ave 'ad enough of this entire affair!" He hopped from the papoose and squirmed to the center of the room.

"Now Tony.." Saboo started.

With a glare that could cut a diamond in half, the tiny pink shaman turned in his direction. "Don't you _'now Tony' _me. You, who have been whining since the day began. You are an outrage, my large feathered friend."

Saboo seemed taken back, and Naboo snickered.

"I wouldn't be snickerin' Naboo, you lost the potion to begin with." Tony continued. "Again, an outrage."

It was Saboo's turn to snicker, and earn himself an elbow in the ribs.

"You two." Tony turned to Vince and Howard, who shrank under his gaze. "Just shut your traps before I shut them for you."

Though Vince looked like he would speak up, he chose silence, and Howard answered with an eye roll.

"And you, root of the problems." Tony turned to Molly and Gregg.

"I'm sorry.." She started.

"Not you. Did you switch bodies with a fish or did it switch places with you?" He said reasonably.

Gregg growled. "So what? What are you gonna do little squid."

Tony smirked. "Time for my strategic skills to go to work. Time for the plan that's been formulatin' in my mind for the entirety of this crisis to be set into effect."

"You have got to be kidding me Tony." Saboo spoke up.

" 'ave Bollo hold fishy down so we can get this lovely young girl back in 'er own body finally, then I'll reveal to you my fantastic plan." Tony nodded in the direction of the ape, who grunted and shuffled across the room.

"You stay away from me monkey man!" Gregg struggled, but the small girls body was no match against Bollo's monkey strength.

"Drink the potion there girlie. Then do something to get the fish thing to drink it down." Tony continued to take control of the situation.

Naboo brought it to her and she sipped the tingly potion. "Hm." He said thoughtfully.

"I've got an idea." Saboo marched over to the still struggling captive of Bollo's ape arms. "Hold his nose then he'll have to open his mouth." With a thumb and forefinger, he pinched closed Gregg's nose and Naboo held the potion ready. Soon enough, his mouth popped open and the fizzy pink liquid was poured in.

Molly felt her body grow fuzzy, like it was falling asleep and she closed her eyes. A soft glow shone through her eyelids. "Did it work?" She asked, opening one eye cautiously.

"Alright!" Vince hopped to his feet and pulled her into a tight hug. "Back in your own body!"

"I'll take that as a yes." She laughed a little and looked down at herself.

Howard stood and dropped the ropes at his feet, then made his way over to her side. "Yes well, good to see you back as yourself." He held out a hand for a very awkward handshake.

Molly eyed it, then threw her arms around his middle. "Sorry you almost got killed by a fish man."

He cleared his throat, then looked over to Vince who mimed a hug. He hesitated then gave her a hug more awkward then the handshake would have been. "Right. It's fine."

Gregg struggled against Bollo's crushing grip. "Let me go ya monkey! Hands off my Howard or I'll get you!"

Molly took a short breath as the sea man seethed in front of her. She took a nervous step back and ran into something.

"Don't be scared there love. 'e's not goin' anywhere but with me." A voice said in her ear.

She jumped and looked up into the green face of a new man.

Everyone in the room tensed as the green man laughed and tipped his top hat. "You can call me The 'itcher. And you lot need to relax. I ain't 'ere to do any rapin' or muderin'. Though it is mighty tempting." He grinned.

"That's right I called 'im here." Tony whined from the bar.

"Why on earth would you do something like that!" Saboo eyed the green cockney.

"For once I have to agree with Saboo." Naboo crossed his arms. "Why bring someone like him into this?"

Howard and Vince eyed the man, nodding in agreement with Naboo.

"Not just a recurring villain am I? I run the zoo for animal offenders boys, in addition to the rape and murder." The Hitcher stepped forward and eyed Gregg. " "'e's quite a specimen this one. Never seen quite anythin' like 'im 'arrison. Been a while since I made an addition to me collection."

Gregg's face changed suddenly. What had come over him? He'd gone crazy. He hadn't had Bailey's or done a water color since this whole thing started. He'd snapped for sure.

"Take it and get on with it will you? Before I have to deal out a slice of crunch to you as well." Saboo unwisley threatened The Hitcher.

"Watch yourself boy, or it'll be you locked away in the dark inner reaches of me box." He waved his hands in Saboo's face, then with a grin he added "You like eels boy?"

"Oi minty, stick with what you're 'ere for yeah? Then you can go about lockin' Saboo up with some eels." Tony's voice made the Hitcher turn.

"You watch yourself too. I'm pure evil 'ere, don't any of you forget that." After a fairly dramatic roll of his single visible eye, he snapped his fingers. A pair of green men crept from the shadows. "Assembled characters, Piper Twins. Piper Twins, assembled characters." He introduced his lackeys, who grunted.

"Who are these guys?" Molly whispered to Howard and Vince as they carried a box from another corner of the cave.

"Recurring villains." Vince whispered back.

"You don't want to mess with them." Howard added.

Molly nodded, and turned back to the scene unfolding in front of them.

The Hitcher had prepared the box and Gregg had been passed off to the Piper Twins. "Now you just need to climb on into me box fishy."

With sad eyes Gregg looked at the gathered crowd. He took a short breath. "Sorry I cause this whole mess.. I didn't mean for it to get so outta hand. I didn't want to hurt no one. Old Gregg just got a little crazy that's all."

"A little crazy?" Howard said angrily.

Gregg smiled apologetically. "Yeah, sorry Howard."

The Hitcher prodded the fish man with his cane. "Into the box boy, 'fore I lose my patience and slice you all up with me dagger and rape ya in the shadows."

The group shared a collective wince and with one last "I'm Old Gregg", he hopped into the box along with the Piper Twins.

"You all ow me one. 'specially you Harrison. Don't think I'll forget. I'm a peppermint nightmare and don't think next time I see you I'll be anything but pure evil." He pointed his cane in the pink shamans direction.

"Yeah I got it." Tony nodded. "I think we've all got it."

"Then I'm off. Pleasure doin' business with you all." The green man was gone in a puff of smoke along with his box and everyone sighed.

"Think I can speak for everyone when I say lets get the hell out of here." Naboo was already walking to the submarine, Bollo shuffling after him.

"Took the words out of my mouth Naboo." Vince agreed and Howard just let out a breath.

"Thank you guys for helping me get back to my own body." Molly smiled in Saboo and Tony's direction.

Tony returned the smile as he was returned to the papoose on Saboo's back. "No trouble at all sunshine. I always come through last minute."

"I'll never here the end of this one." Saboo knew he would have a lot of explaining to do back at the Board of Shaman.

With everyone in their rightful bodies and on their way to their respective homes, it was decided there was some well deserved sleep on order for all parties involved.


	17. Chapter 17

_A/N: Final Chapter! Grand Finale! Fireworks and celebrations! :D Thanks for reading my ridiculous nonsense, hopefully you'll all stick with me for another adventure, or not. That'd be fine to. I have all of you to thank for my confidence and here's the much deserved tribute to all of you who gave it to me! (Forgive me if I missspell your name wrong here.. Wrote them all down and some are hard to read!):]_

_My beyond rad reviewers: __LoopyLuna89, watergoddesskasey, ModWolf98, Teaslemeringue, swisstony, Emily the evil one, MissehKeehl and the very anonymous Purple _

_My fantastic Favorites:__ Holly-BethRAWR, LittlePurpleMonster, LoopyLuna89, Emily the evil one, capricorngirl0112, HannahScissorhands, and SheepsQueen_

_The always amazing alerters:__ heyimlinds29, Holly-BethRAWR, LittlePurpleMonster, LoopyLuna89, Opera-Gypsy, SlipxxKnot, TheAlaskanSofa, TroSawyer, minimarshall, and last but not least SheepsQueen_

_And the rare but AMAZING author alerts (I'm assuming this just means you love me forever right?):__watergoddeskasey and ModWolf98_

_Well this is the end of the longest authors note ever, but this is where I also hope that all you crazy people don't forget about me. I'll keep writing if all you amazing folks keep reading. Thank you so much for everything. Enjoy this last chapter! 3~Ruby_

* * *

"So she just left?" Vince and Howard were sitting in the Nabootique after passing out following the events of the night before.

Howard shook his head. "I don't know. She said something about some rules and then just disappeared."

"Didn't she want to hang out today?" The mod punk peered out the window at the drizzly afternoon. "Or want you to walk her back to her hotel? You think she'd be nervous or somethin'."

"Your guess is as good as mine Little Man." Howard sighed. "If she comes back she comes back. Maybe we scared her off."

Vince made a face. "We? You mean you and you creepy Stationary Village."

They each sighed. Something had caused the girl to leave, something about rules and boundaries and lifestyles. All the things Molly had rattled off to Howard before rushing from the flat early that morning.

In actuality, the girl hadn't gone anywhere too far. She had returned to her hotel room, finally giving in to the nagging voice that had been complaining in her head. She had packed her things with every intention of leaving the area and turning her back on the friends she'd made. Just like every other place she'd been, it would be forgotten.

However, that wasn't exactly what ended up happening. Molly's camera had switched on. Along with the little musical tune, a picture of her, Howard, Vince, Naboo and Bollo squished together on the submarine appeared. If the voice was yelling again she couldn't hear it.

And so for the third time in her short stay in Dalston, Molly was faced with a decision. Provided, this one a bit more drastic then the previous decisions. Did she have it in her to give up her life to stay here? That's what would have to happen. It was either that or leave and delete all the pictures off her camera and virtually wipe this stop from her mind. There was no in-between.

Molly sighed. "Should have listened to my conscious from the beginning.."

Back at the Nabootique, Howard stood at his post behind the counter, while Vince sat across the room, nose buried in a copy of Cheekbone.

"Says here curls are comin' back in. Think I could pull off a perm 'oward?" His question made the mustached man roll his eyes.

"Best to stick with straight Vince. You'll look like you got your finger caught in a toaster otherwise."

Vince thought for a moment. "Electrocuted look is never in fashion.."

A chorus of bells went off as someone threw the door open.

"Molly?" The two men said together.

"Where have you been?" Vince asked.

She took a breath. "I was going to leave. By just talking to you guys I'm breaking rules like you wouldn't believe."

"Rules?" Howard cocked his head to the side.

"I travel around. My parents left me a lot of money when they died and growing up I always wanted to travel the world. So, when I got the money I started traveling. I've been just about everywhere and its all on here." She held up her camera. "The only thing is, I never let myself get close to anyone. Making friends means leaving people behind and I didn't want to do that."

"But what about us?" Vince asked, trying to absorb all the girl was saying.

"That's the thing Vince. By meeting you and taking your pictures.. You see now I have to choose." She paused. Her friends looked thoroughly confused by her outburst. "I'll be leaving you behind if I go now. I have to either forget this ever happened, which will be fairly hard considering I've spent the last few days in a fish mans body. Or, I have to call that hotel room home."

Howard nodded, setting a hand on his chin thoughtfully. "That makes sense I suppose."

"What're you gonna do Moll?" Vince asked.

Her gaze shifted between the two men. She had been weighing the pros and cons of the decision and she'd come to the conclusion that there was only one logical solution to this dilemma. She smiled. "I hope you don't mind it if I stick around."

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So that's the end, but like I said I have ideas for a sequel and a bunch of other things in the works (as well as a story abandoned and deleted by a fellow author that I have permission to continue. I was lucky that I caught it and just happened to be going though a major phase right now! No further hints ;]) Other then that I'm sure you'll hear from me pretty soon here. Love you guys! :]


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